Sand In Your Shorts
by Goddess33
Summary: Gaara's mission: Find someone to love. The target: Neji Hyuuga. Expect OOCness, pretty boys liking pretty boys, and snarky demons.
1. Chapter 1

Author's notes: My first Naruto fic. Written mostly as stress relief, so please bear with the out-of-character-ness. And please enjoy!

Sand In Your Shorts

_.x.x.x_

"You want me to what?"

To an uninvolved bystander, Gaara's tone was neutral bordering on disinterested. Only someone who knew redheaded psycho- his brother and sister, for example- could hear it for the shocked disbelief that it truly was.

"Surely you've thought about it," Temari said. "Everyone else your age is finding someone to be with- going out and dating, that sort of thing. Forming romantic relationships."

Gaara scowled at her briefly, before returning to the newspaper article he was reading. "I find it hard to believe you haven't noticed this yet, but I do not qualify as 'everyone else.'"

"She's got a point, Gaara," Kankuro said. "You honestly don't want someone to be with?"

"No," said Gaara.

"Somebody to listen to you, someone that understands you?" Temari prodded.

"No."

"Someone that really cares about you, wants to be with you?" Temari continued.

"No."

"Someone to have wildly inappropriate sex with on a daily basis, in your office, during training, sometimes on the breakfast table?" Kankuro put in.

"…hm…"

Temari shot Kankuro a dark look. "That's _not_ the point of doing this."

"It's an undeniable perk," said Kankuro.

Unable to concentrate on the article he was reading, Gaara folded the newspaper and looked up at the two again. "So what _is_ this point of doing this, then?"

"Because we think it will make you happy!" Temari said, pulling out a chair at the table and flopping down into it with a huff. "You remember what it's like to be happy, don't you Gaara?"

Gaara gave her one of his infamous blank stares. "No."

"_Exactly_," she proclaimed. "Come on, Gaara, you'd like to be happy at some point in your lifetime, wouldn't you?"

"Having never to my knowledge ever _been_ happy before, how should I know if I would like it?" Gaara pointed out.

"Everybody likes being happy," said Kankuro. "It's like, part of the whole package of the emotion."

Gaara looked from Kankuro to Temari, deliberating over what they'd said. "And you think if I get a… a _girlfriend_, this will make me happy?"

"Well, it sure beats killing people," Kankuro said.

"That remains to be seen," said Gaara, while Temari mouthed a _Don't encourage him!_ at Kankuro.

"Come on, Gaara," Kankuro said. "We know that you could crush us and all without much thought, but can't you just once let us pull older sibling rank on you and order you to do this for your own good?"

Gaara looked at him sharply. Temari seemed to be considering hitting Kankuro, but Gaara's voice made her pause.

"I have a question," Gaara said slowly. "If this 'dating' thing is supposedly so good for people, why haven't you two done it? Haven't found someone of your own to be with?"

Temari and Kankuro just looked at him.

"Because you're too busy taking care of me…" Gaara answered his own question. "Because you're my _keepers_, whether you admit it or not. Protecting me, or protecting everyone else _from_ me. And you're tired of it, so, what? You want to pass me off onto somebody else? Find me a _new_ keeper?"

"That's not it at all!" Temari said. "Gaara, you've done so well lately. You're more stable than you've ever been. I doubt you'll ever be, well… _normal_, but… well, in the profession we're in, who's really normal anyway? We were just hoping that… well, maybe if you found love… We really do only want you to be happy, Gaara. We thought it might actually make you feel human."

Gaara looked undecided. And maybe angry. It was hard to tell with him, sometimes. Temari and Kankuro prepared themselves to run, just in case, both of them eyeing Gaara's ever-present gourd for signs of immanent danger. What they weren't prepared for was Gaara's shrug and calmly stated, "Okay."

"Okay?" Temari repeated. "You'll do it?"

"I'm not promising anything," Gaara clarified. "But I will… try."

"Great!" Temari said. "We can leave right now."

"Leave?" Gaara blinked. "Where are we going?"

"To Konoha, of course," Kankuro said. "Temari and I checked out the prospects around here, and none of them are even _close_ to being good enough for you. Besides, you wouldn't really want to hook up with anybody around here, would you?"

Gaara silently skimmed through the list of all the locals he knew. People that respected his power, tried desperately to stay on his good side, and feared for their lives whenever he was near. "You're right. Konoha would be a better place to start."

_.x.x.x._

"This is a stupid place to start," Gaara commented as Kankuro handed him his drink. He sipped idly at the straw- some weird iced coffee blend that Temari and Kankuro liked- and looked over the park again.

Konoha was a pretty place, even though Gaara rarely sat back to appreciate aesthetics. The park was open and clean, surrounded by trees, bustling with people on their breaks or just out for a nice afternoon stroll. Gaara, Temari and Kankuro had been here for _hours_, and Gaara was unspeakably bored. He wanted to go home, where sunlight meant blistering heat. Where he could lock himself in his room or his office and work, and just be…

…alone. Always alone. Temari and Kankuro did their best, but Gaara knew better than to let even them get too close. He didn't know _why_ he even agreed to this stupid plan. Sheer curiosity, probably.

"Well what about her?" Kankuro said, pointing out one of the prospects in the park. "Pink haired girl over there. Don't we know her?"

"Sakura," Temari said. "And no. She's co-president of the Committee For Getting Into Uchiha Sasuke's Pants."

"Oh, right. Well, how about the blonde girl with the ponytail that she's arguing with?"

"Ino, I think her name was." Temari said. "Also has a thing for Sasuke."

"Every girl _in_ this village has a thing for that guy," Kankuro grumbled. "If they like them powerful and broody, they _should_ go for Gaara too."

"You don't know anything about girls," Temari said. "Hmm, let's see… well what about her? The short-ish girl… dark blue hair, really pale eyes? What was her name? Hyuuga something…"

"No way," Kankuro said. "Too shy. One look at Gaara's I'm-Going-To-Kill-You Glare and she'd probably just piss herself."

"I do not have an I'm-Going-To-Kill-You Glare," Gaara said.

"Do too," Kankuro said. "You give Temari and I that glare about fifteen times a day. We're already up to nine." He took a sip of his drink, then pointed. "But how about the girl she's walking with? The brunette. Pretty enough, don't you think?"

Temari gave him an odd look. "Kankuro, that's a boy."

Gaara looked over at the boy in question. Pretty, as Kankuro had said. One of those geniuses Konoha was famous for. Hyuuga Neji, that was it. One of the rookies from the Chuunin Exams. Gaara didn't really remember much more about him than that, but apparently right now they were simply judging candidates by physical appeal. And physically, Neji _was_ somewhat appealing. His long hair looked soft, and his eyes- while peculiarly pale- had a strange captivating intensity to them. Of everyone they'd looked at all day, he was the first option with any possibility.

"Why not him?" Gaara asked.

His siblings blinked at him. "Maybe you didn't hear me," Temari said slowly. "That's a _boy_."

"I'm aware of that," Gaara said. "Why are we focused on girls, anyway? Girls are so weird."

"On behalf of my gender, girls are not weird," Temari stated with dignity. "But hell, if the Kazekage wants a boy, then who are we to say he can't?"

"So, we've chosen a target," Gaara said. "Now what?"

"Now," Temari proclaimed, "comes the fun part."


	2. Chapter 2

Sand in Your Shorts

Chapter 2

_.x.x.x._

Gaara hated the night. Granted, the daytime wasn't really the most appealing of alternatives. But nighttime was worse. It was one of those universal truths that Gaara considered absolute, unquestionable.

And it wasn't just because he couldn't sleep. Well, mostly it was, but there were other factors besides that. Night was a _time_ for sleep. When the sun went down, everybody ended up crawling into bed at one point or another to sleep. All the world was silent. Of course, night was also a time for shinobi missions, but they weren't making all that much noise either. Unless that shinobi happened to be Naruto Uzumaki, but he was a case unto himself and therefore didn't count. But on the general scale, everyone else was sleeping while Gaara could not, and he hated them for it.

Night was also the time Gaara was most aware that he was not alone in his own head.

Shukaku was the _reason_ Gaara couldn't sleep. Not that Gaara hadn't occasionally considered just finally going to sleep and letting the rest of the world take care of whatever came unleashed during that time of weakness. It was sort of a damned if you do, damned if you don't situations. Gaara chose to keep the beast trapped inside, and that unquestionably meant a strict vigilance at all times.

And Shukaku didn't much approve of its current living conditions. Growing up, Shukaku hadn't so much spoken to Gaara as snarled at him, viciously and continuously. Gaara could tune that out now, like so much white noise. After all, it wasn't like he really cared about the demon's displeasure, considering all the other hell Gaara had to put up with on a daily basis.

But over the years, Shukaku had gotten… _bored_. As it didn't seem to be getting out anytime soon, it had taken an interest in Gaara's life in order to pass the time. During the night, when it was certain of Gaara's complete and undivided attention, Shukaku _talked._ Incessantly.

Gaara much preferred it when all Shukaku did was growl.

"_I rather like this plan of your sister's,"_ Shukaku mused to him that night, as Gaara lay staring at the unfamiliar ceiling of the hotel room in Konoha. "_You never do anything interesting anymore. When was the last time you had good old fashioned rampage?"_

"You know," Gaara said aloud, "most people consider it a sign of insanity to talk to the voices in your head."

"_Oh yeah? Well, shows what they know. I've been trying to drive you insane for years, and the best I ever got was half way. Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to go outside and kill a few people? You know, for old time's sake."_

"No. Now would you shut up? I'm trying to-"

"_To 'what'?"_ Shukaku interrupted. "_Sleep? You and I both know that's not happening anytime soon. You're just lying there doing nothing, so you can damned well listen to me while you're waiting for morning."_

"I almost prefer it when you're homicidally enraged than bored," said Gaara.

Shukaku made what sounded like an indignant sniff. "_I'm a demon. We do not get bored."_

"I bet Kyuubi gets bored," Gaara said. "I wonder if that's why Naruto is always pulling those silly pranks and inventing those ridiculous jutsus?"

"_Who cares about Naruto?"_ Shukaku growled. He always got touchy when the fox demon was mentioned. "_What about Neji?"_

"What about him?"

"_You like him, don't you?"_

Gaara shrugged, going back to his detailed study of the cracks in the ceiling. "He's the target, that's all."

Shukaku paused. "_You know, it's really going to defeat the purpose of Temari's plan if you don't like him at least a little."_

"I don't like people," Gaara stated. "If you like people, they hurt you." This was another one of those universal truths in Gaara's life.

"_So you're not even going to try to like him? Not even a little? What about the plan?"_ Shukaku said.

"I'll go along with Temari's plan. It seems harmless enough. But no, I don't plan on _liking_ anyone, Neji or otherwise."

"_Hmm,"_ Shukaku said. "_So, you're just in it for the sex, then."_

"What?" Gaara blinked. "No!"

"_No? Pity. I was looking forward to that part of the plan,"_ said Shukaku. "_And the Hyuuga was an excellent choice of a target, if I do say so myself. With all that lovely, dark hair to unbind and run your fingers through. Like spun silk."_

"Shut up."

"_His skin is so fine and pale, too. He'll probably blush beautifully when you touch him, running you palms over the smooth planes of his chest. Feeling his heartbeat flutter like a trapped thing beneath your hands. So apparently vulnerable, yet as much a weapon as you are. He wouldn't, of course, let you do all the touching."_

"Shut. Up."

"After so long of not being touched, your skin must be terribly sensitive. He'll want to touch every inch of it, delighting at the way you writhe under his every caress. I'd bet you'll even whimper. Yes, you'll make some slight sound of pleasure, and he'll think it's cute, and kiss you. And you, you won't be able to get enough."

"Shut _up, _Shukaku."

"_I'm thinking he'll be the dominant sort, which is good because you'd make a much better uke. By this point you'd be running off pure instinct. It could go on for hours, the both of you using hands and mouths and bodies to memorize and pay homage to one another, and he'd be on you and around you and _in _you and-" _Shukaku paused, savoring. "_Yes, it's definitely going to be fun."_

Gaara shifted in the bed, which seemed to be a lot hotter and more uncomfortable than it was a minute ago. "I hate you."

"_I hate you, too,"_ Shukaku said cheerfully. "_It wasn't my idea to be locked up inside of you any more than it was your idea to have me. But we're stuck together, so deal with it. Unless you wanted to let me out…"_

"No."

"_I thought not. Well then, I'll just have to amuse myself some other way."_

Gaara didn't answer, deciding he'd had more than enough conversation with the demon for one lifetime. It was bad enough that Shukaku had formed a detailed scenario of what it thought Gaara's sex life ought to be like. What was worse was the _images_ the demon had conjured in Gaara's mind, flashes of detail that Gaara was going to have a hell of a time forgetting whenever he tried talking with Neji Hyuuga in the future.

Like Neji arching off the bed when Gaara touched him in a particularly sensitive place. Neji whispering Gaara's name like a mantra, like a prayer. Neji's eyes, glowing with some inner fire, tracking Gaara's every move with blazing intensity. Neji's hands on Gaara's body, so surprisingly gentle…

It was against Gaara's upbringing to waste water, but surely Konoha had enough to spare for one really cold shower…


	3. Chapter 3

Sand in Your Shorts

Chapter 3

_.x.x.x._

Neji's kisses were intoxicating. And Gaara was addicted. Every time Neji tried to draw away, Gaara would drag him back, desperate for another mind-drugging taste. Gaara couldn't remember how they had gotten this way- nor did he care, not really. So long as Neji didn't leave. Which Neji didn't seem terribly inclined to do, so everything was good.

Was this what happiness felt like?

This wasn't the hotel room in Konoha. It wasn't Gaara's room back home either. It wasn't… it wasn't anywhere. Gaara was vaguely aware of the sand beneath him, silky and soft, shivering and sighing and aching… or maybe that was him. Hard to tell. Hard to care, really. Neji's hands felt so much better, smoothing down over Gaara's hips, the sweetest caress along his inner thigh, then touching him there, _there_, where the ache was the worst, the need was greatest.

Was this what pleasure felt like?

If it was, Gaara wanted to drown in it, wanted to wrap himself up in it, to never let it go. Never let _Neji_ go. This pleasure was Gaara's, Neji was Gaara's. And then Neji was inside of Gaara, and the universe was ending. Or maybe just beginning. Or maybe turning inside out, but fuck the rest of the universe anyway, because there was no one else but the two of them. Gaara, and Neji. Together as one.

Was this what love felt like?

It felt… kind of sticky, actually.

Gaara's eyes flew open. The sun cast a hazy pattern of light across the ceiling. He recognized the ceiling; he'd spent most of the night staring at it. The blanket was tangled around his legs, and the pillows had somehow ended up on the floor. Gaara was the only one in the bed.

"What the hell was that?" Gaara demanded of the empty room.

"_That,"_ Shukaku said, "_was a dream. A wet dream, if I'm not mistaken. Good morning, sunshine."_

Throughout the many years of carrying the demon within him, Gaara had trained himself out of the need for sleep. When he was really in need of rest, he could usually slip into a self-aware trance-like state; not sleep, but close enough to it. Occasionally however, the true needs of his body caught up with him and sleep would overcome him. Never for very long, and the slightest shift from Shukaku would wake him. It never lasted long enough for him to dream, something he usually counted as a blessing, since he could only imagine what sort of dreams his mind would cook up for him.

But _that_… that certainly wasn't what he imagined.

"I… but…" Gaara frowned, setting to untangling the sheets. "How come you're still here?"

"_And miss that show? Are you kidding?"_ Shukaku said. "_If all your dreams are like that, I should really let you sleep more often." _

"I hate you." Finally, that was one emotion for the morning that Gaara could understand. Because really, everything else was just too muddled and confusing. He threw the dirty sheets onto the floor and determinedly stalked into the bathroom for a shower, hoping that if he ignored the dream and its implications, then maybe it would be like it never happened.

Naturally, Gaara discovered by the time he was clean and headed down for breakfast, ignoring the dream didn't help all that much. He couldn't stop thinking about it. If Gaara believed in Fate, he would think it hated him.

"Hey Gaara," Kankuro greeted as Gaara joined him and Temari at the breakfast table. "Er… rough night?" Once, Kankuro had made the mistake of asking Gaara if he had "slept well." Gaara had broken the toaster over Kankuro's head. Temari had been pissed because her toast had gotten all bloody.

"I'm fine," Gaara answered, as he usually did. Even when he felt somewhat less than fine. Like now. Right now he was definitely, undoubtedly, one-hundred-percent _not fine._ But they really didn't need to know that.

"Oh. Good," Temari said. "Because tonight you're going on a date with Neji."

_-Neji's hot breath on Gaara's neck, his teeth on his flesh. Gaara waiting with breathless anticipation for the bite-_

Gaara willfully pushed the flash of the dream from his mind, frowning at his sister. "…so soon? We only got here yesterday."

"It has to be soon," Temari said. "We have to leave in a little over a week." She dug in her pocket for a moment, then produced their pass-port from Konoha, stating the three of them were allowed in the city for twelve days. "Bureaucracy bites, doesn't it. I was hoping for a longer pass, but since we technically don't have a _legitimate_ reason for being here, this is the best they could give me."

"We'll make do," Gaara said. "Twelve days is long enough for a simple mission. Was there anything else you had planned for the day?"

"Yep," Temari pronounced with that grin that always made Gaara… slightly unnerved. "Today I'm taking you shopping."

_.x.x.x._

Gaara had been through a lot of terrible ordeals in his lifetime. He'd been hunted, betrayed, nearly killed on an occasion or two, tortured by a demon and driven nearly to the brink of insanity. He would gladly do it all again if it would get him out of this shopping trip.

There really was no talking Temari out of it when she decided on something like this. Gaara didn't even waste his breath trying. Instead he idly considered the many ways to murder his brother; Temari said Kankuro's fashion sense was even worse than Gaara's, and Kankuro quickly used that as an excuse not to come along. Yes, Gaara decided, Kankuro would most certainly pay for abandoning him to their sister's whims.

Gaara didn't see what was wrong with the clothes he was wearing. They were sturdy and practical, and fit comfortably. Temari said they were a crime against all gods of fashion. Whoever they were.

And so, Gaara was dragged through store after store, dutifully (though not happily) trying on whatever outfit Temari pressed upon him. Temari at least seemed to be having a good time. She was happily taking advantage of the fact that Gaara's dark glare- which was getting darker by the second- frightened most of the shopkeepers into giving them outrageous discounts. Every time Gaara looked, there seemed to be more shopping bags than there were before.

Temari hardly bothered asking what Gaara thought of the clothes she'd made him try on. It all looked the same to him. Clothes were clothes; as long as they covered the essentials, who cared what they looked like?

Luckily, Konoha was a city for shinobi, and so the clothing stores didn't carry anything truly outrageous (unless you counted some of the more brightly colored wardrobes that seemed specifically tailored for ones such as Uzumaki Naruto and Rock Lee). Gaara finally called a halt to the shopping trip after they'd accumulated more clothing than he thought they could carry back to their hometown. They returned to the hotel and Temari sent Gaara to his room to change into his new acquisitions.

Gaara dumped the bags onto the bed, frowning at the mass uncertainly. Temari had told him to change. She just hadn't specified _what_ he was expected to change into. Gaara was pretty sure he heard Shukaku laughing at him in the back of his mind as Gaara rooted through the many bags and boxes, searching for something appropriate to wear to ask someone out on a date.

He paused as he remembered that little detail. That's what this whole ordeal had been for, hadn't it? He was trying to impress his target, Hyuuga Neji. So what would Neji like?

Unfortunately, Gaara had no idea about that either. But piece by piece, he started to select an outfit out of the pile. First came the shirt, soft and pale, almost white. It reminded him of Neji's eyes. Next came a jacket, black with nearly a dozen heavy buckles for closure. With the shirt it would make a nice contrast, like Neji's hair against his skin. After some thought, Gaara ripped the sleeves from the jacket; long sleeves would be far too hot for a desert boy like him. Even fashion had to make way for practicality.

All the pants Temari had purchased were the tiniest bit tight on him. Gaara's sister wasn't really the careless sort, so he assumed she had chosen that size on purpose. Simple dark brown pants, almost black, completed the outfit. He ignored all the shoe purchases in favor of the standard shinobi sandals. After dressing, he looked at himself critically in the mirror.

He looked… well. He looked like he usually did, only with different clothes on. Again, he didn't see the big deal in a new wardrobe. It had to be one of those things that were important to "normal" people. Well, he was dressed now, and if Temari disapproved, she could pick something else out. He gathered the gourd and left the room.

But when he returned downstairs to face her inspection, Temari nodded approvingly and proclaimed his choices "not bad, not bad at all." She passed him some money and the standard ID card Konoha required visiting shinobi to carry, and said he was ready to go.

"_She's got a lot of faith in you, letting you out on your own like this,"_ Shukaku commented idly as Gaara headed out into the city to look for his target. "_This place sure would look pretty as a smoking crater. Are you sure you don't want to-?"_

"No," Gaara hissed. He turned down another alley, wondering where he ought to look for Neji first. He wondered if one of the local citizens would tell him where the Hyuuga house was if he asked politely.

Shukaku laughed. "_Even when you're polite, you sound like you're making threats."_

Gaara ignored the demon's banter as he continued through the city. His best bet this time of day, he decided, was to find Konoha's training facilities. It was as good a place as any to look for the Hyuuga genius. He remembered most of the training area from his visit during the chuunin exams, and it was easy to find his way there.

The sparring grounds were lively at this time of the day. Several shinobi were gathered in groups, competing against one another to polish their moves. Most groups halted in mid-strike and quickly hurried out of Gaara's way as he walked through the ground. Sure enough, he spotted his target on the far end of the field, having a rather relaxed sparring match with Rock Lee. Or at least, Neji looked relaxed, his every move so smooth and poised it was like a dance. Lee fought with more exuberance, and seemed to be having a great time despite his inability to land a strike on his opponent. Neji's enjoyment of the mock battle was barely apparent; the slightest hint of a smile, the relaxation of the shoulders, the way he gently curbed his every strike to keep from winning too quickly.

"_Are you just going to stand there drooling,"_ Shukaku broke through Gaara's thoughts, "_or are you going to go talk to him?"_

Gaara was generally not one to hesitate. Ever. Over anything. Still… maybe he ought to come back a little later, when Neji was less occupied…

"Oi, Gaara!" Lee called, spotting him. "I didn't know you were in town! Want to have a spar after I'm done beating Neji?"

It was funny, how Lee could forgive people who had at one point in their life tried to kill him. Gaara didn't think he would ever understand people. "No. I came to talk to Neji."

Neji paused, straightening from his stance and turning that intense gaze of his on Gaara. Out of habit, Gaara stared right back, and… promptly forgot whatever it was he'd planned to say. Neji really did have the most intriguing eyes up close. They weren't the smooth, milky white Gaara had once thought. They had the slightest hint of blue, with tiny sizzles of iridescence, like fine opals gleaming in the sunlight.

Neji turned his gaze away to murmur something to Lee, and Gaara quickly shook his thoughts out of their reverie. It was stupid to be distracted by Neji's eyes, no matter how intriguing they were. He had to keep focused on the mission.

Gaara and Neji moved off to the side of the training ground, where it was a little quieter. Though Rock Lee was quick to forgive Gaara's past transgressions, it seemed that Neji had a bit more caution than that. He didn't sound hostile, but Neji's tone was undeniably wary.

"What do you want, Gaara?"

"_You,"_ Shukaku silently answered for Gaara. Gaara could just tell that the demon was grinning.

It really didn't help that Neji was… _looking_ at him like that. Like he was looking right through Gaara, right down to the dark hidden places Gaara never revealed to anyone. Vaguely, Gaara wondered if Neji could see Shukaku trapped within him. If he could see the barely contained chaos that sometimes threatened to overwhelm Gaara's very being.

What also didn't help were the remnants of Shukaku's whispered words, the flashes of memory from Gaara's dream. Wondering if Neji really kissed the way Gaara had imagined it. If Neji's skin was really so soft, so sensitive along his inner thighs, or the small of his back. If Neji would ever really look at him with such affection, such desire…

"Gaara?" Neji's voice interrupted his thoughts. "What are you doing?"

Gaara blinking, suddenly realizing Neji was no longer looking at him. Neji was looking down at his feet. Gaara looked down as well. A thick coil of sand was weaving around Neji's feet, rubbing against his ankles like an affectionate cat.

The sand was almost an entity unto itself, but it was eternally obedient to the whims of Gaara's subconscious. Therefore, if Gaara wanted Neji, so did the sands. Gaara quickly called the sand back to its gourd, giving the cork a quick thump back into place.

Neji was watching Gaara now with quiet curiosity. "Sometimes it leaks," Gaara explained softly. So much for making a good impression, letting blood-and-chakra-rich sand run around loose!

"What do you want?" Neji asked again. But his voice was softer now, almost puzzled.

"Dinner," Gaara answered.

Neji pointed back the way he had come. "Restaurant district is that way-"

"…with you. As company," Gaara clarified. "Like a date."

Neji stared at him. "A date?" he echoed faintly.

Gaara frowned. Hadn't Neji ever been asked on a date before? Or maybe it was that Neji didn't like boys… after all, Temari and Kankuro had both been quite surprised when Gaara had picked Neji over the girls they had pointed out. Or maybe Neji was just surprised that it was Gaara, specifically, that was asking him out. Gaara really should have given more thought to this part of the mission…

Neji's intense gaze swept over Gaara again, as if to ascertain that this was, in fact, really Gaara and not some prankster pulling a transformation jutsu. Apparently satisfied with whatever he saw, Neji finally shrugged absently. "Well. I suppose it wouldn't hurt anything…"

"_What he means by that is, he's afraid of that damage you'll cause if he says no,"_ Shukaku said gleefully.

"Lee wanted to finish our sparring," Neji continued. "Do you mind waiting for a bit?"

Gaara shook his head. Neji gave him another of those long, indecipherable stares, before returning back to the training field where Lee was waiting. Gaara let out his breath in a gentle sigh, leaning back against the wall. Well. He supposed that had gone well enough.

"_Celebrate you minor victories while you can,"_ Shukaku said sagely. "_The date hasn't even started yet. There's still plenty of time for you to screw up." _


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Notes: I know everyone was really worried that I dropped this story. I assure you, I haven't. It's just that a few months ago, I moved to a different state, and only just today got internet access again. And so, without further delay, the fourth chapter.

_x.x.x_

Sand In Your Shorts

_x.x.x_

In Gaara's life, the sand was the one thing he trusted absolutely. He might not always understand it, but it was the closest he had ever come to having a friend. All his life the sand protected him, which was more than he could say for his other constant companion, Shukaku. But somehow the three of them made an odd sort of whole; the boy, the demon, and the sand. Shukaku was the power, the sand was the weapon, and Gaara was the will that controlled them both. No matter how much Shukaku disagreed with that.

But the sand was Gaara's favorite. The sand was… pure, somehow. Shukaku was undeniably evil, and Gaara knew he himself was a monster, but the sand was… instinctive, primal. Free of anything as human as "good" or "evil." Sometimes Gaara was sure he felt an intelligence within the sand, but it was a simple thing, like an animal. It protected Gaara, it fought for Gaara, like a sort of attack dog eager to please its master, needing only a simple gesture of affection for a reward.

The sand obeyed Gaara's conscious commands, but also reacted to him on a deeper level, responding to subconscious thought before Gaara was even fully aware of it. In this way, the sand could shield him from every attack, even ones Gaara was not consciously aware of. It was an invaluable asset, and throughout his life Gaara had always been very grateful to have the sand.

But right now, the sand was really starting to annoy him.

The sand did not speak to Gaara, as Shukaku did, but it had little difficulty in expressing itself. Currently it roiled within its gourd, a trapped sandstorm, with airy moans and sighs probably meant to impress Gaara into letting the sand out. Every now and again it tested the cork, letting out a gusty huff every time Gaara refused it. Gaara was not used to having the sand try to mutiny like this, and it took a good portion of concentration to keep it contained.

"_Ought to set it loose on him,"_ Shukaku advised. "_Could be entertaining, at the least."_

"_I don't see what's so amusing about my sand trying to hump Neji's leg," _Gaara replied. "_I doubt it would convince him of that I'm safe enough to be around."_

"_Who knows, maybe he'd like it."_

"_Or maybe I'd be permanently banned from Konoha for molesting one of their shinobi with what basically constitutes as a deadly weapon."_

"_You worry too much,"_ Shukaku griped.

Gaara didn't think being cautious was the same as worrying too much. This was a mission, after all. He couldn't risk a mission by letting over-eager sands grope the target.

However, Gaara was starting to wonder over the wisdom of taking on this mission. Anything that Shukaku considered a good idea couldn't be in the best interest of humanity. And the sand was definitely getting inexcusably distracted. What was the point in going through all this, anyway? For the longest time, Gaara knew it was safest, for him and the rest of the world, for him to be alone. It was useless to go through this farce, knowing that Gaara could never care for Neji, much less love him as his siblings were expecting him to. He ought to go right back to the hotel and forget the whole thing…

"Are you ready to go?"

Neji's voice startled Gaara, though the surprise didn't show. Neji had finished his sparring with his teammate, and was gently wiping away the light sheen of accumulated sweat from the workout. Gaara simply stared at him as he gathered his bearings; staring was an old habit Gaara had developed, as it tended to disturb his enemies. It didn't seem to bother Neji, though. Neji was one of the few people Gaara had met that could look him in the eye without flinching. Though Gaara found himself somewhat disturbed by Neji's stare, but for entirely different reasons.

Gaara had just realized he hadn't answered the question, when Neji spoke again. "You sure are acting strangely. Even for you. I don't suppose you're going to explain what's going on…?"

"No," Gaara said succinctly. "And I am ready to go." He turned and headed for the training ground exit, leaving Neji to follow bemusedly in his wake.

This mission was never going to work, Gaara berated himself. Temari had said that in order to get along with people, you had to be nice to them. Gaara didn't know anything about being _nice_. He could do coldly polite at times, but he was pretty sure that wasn't what Temari had meant.

But strangely, Gaara's lack of social graces didn't seem to bother Neji too much. He lengthened his stride until he was walking beside Gaara instead of behind him. Gaara glanced over at him; even though Neji wasn't looking at him, Gaara still felt as though he were under the Hyuuga's scrutinizing gaze.

The restaurant district was easy enough to find. Gaara slowed, taking a moment to consider the options. Konoha had a handful of restaurants and food stands, offering a variety of foods. Gaara really should have picked a specific one beforehand, but he hadn't really given it much thought. After all, Gaara considered eating to be simply one of those necessary tasks for survival; as long as the food wasn't poisoned, Gaara had never cared what he was eating. But he suspected that "normal" people gave a little more thought to what they ate.

"There's a pretty good ramen stand," Neji commented mildly to the silence. "Unless you had something else in mind…?"

Gaara felt some relief that Neji had offered a suggestion. It saved him from having to labor over a choice, and in the process possibly pick something unacceptable. Who knew this dating thing was so hard?

"_You could have just asked him what his favorite foods were,"_ Shukaku commented. "_You really are hopeless at this social interaction thing, aren't you?"_

Gaara scowled. "_And whose fault would_ that _be?"_

"Gaara?" Neji said. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," Gaara growled. "Ramen is fine."

"Don't sound so eager," Neji said lightly. "Wouldn't want to get the impression you were enjoying this date." He turned away, heading for the ramen stand. Feeling chagrined- and not really knowing why- Gaara followed in his wake.

Late evening was fast encroaching, and most of the seats were taken up. Which didn't seem to matter, as most of the patrons hurriedly paid for their meals and left- sometimes without even finishing their ramen- after one look at Gaara's frown. Gaara didn't mind- he was used to this sort of treatment, after all. It was kind of flattering in a way, as well. People were afraid of him. Even in towns well known for their strong and fearless warriors, Gaara scared people.

Well, most people. The famous rookies of Konoha seemed to view Gaara in a somewhat different light. Naruto Uzumaki didn't fear Gaara, but then, Naruto was often too dumb to be scared of the things he ought to. Rock Lee didn't fear Gaara, but Gaara wasn't sure how much of that was bravado and how much was good old-fashioned lunacy. And Neji…

Gaara glanced over at Neji, who had calmly taken a seat and ordered his ramen. Neji Hyuuga didn't fear Gaara, and Gaara couldn't figure out why. Neji wasn't stupid. He may be confident in his skills, but he didn't have Lee's recklessness or Naruto's hyperactive optimism. So how could Neji simply sit beside a powerful and feared monster, eating ramen as if it were the most normal circumstance in the world?

Maybe those strange, opalescent eyes of his really did see something in Gaara that others did not.

"You're the one that asked me here," Neji said. "If you're not going to tell me why, you could at least have something to eat. Don't you like ramen?"

Gaara blinked, realizing he'd been caught daydreaming once again. It was becoming a rather annoying habit around Neji. "Oh. I… don't know. I suppose. I haven't had it for a long time…"

"Hm. Well, I suppose there's one way to find out." Neji dugs his chopsticks into the bowl, twirling a few of the noodles around them in a clump, held it out to Gaara.

Gaara blinked at the food, then at Neji's patiently expectant face. With some trepidation, Gaara ate the proffered tidbit off the chopsticks. He hardly tasted it, but when Neji smiled at him, Gaara decided that it was probably the best thing he'd ever eaten.

"_Well don't you two make the cutest couple?"_ Shukaku snickered. The sand made a delighted little purr in its gourd.

"_Shut up, both of you,"_ Gaara said, though there wasn't much force to the command.

Neji returned to eating his meal, and Gaara finally ordered a bowl of ramen for himself. They ate in some semblance of companionable silence, but something was nagging at Gaara. And for once, it wasn't a homicidal psycho demon.

"Hyuuga," Gaara finally said. "Why did you agree to come on this date with me?"

Neji paused, then finished chewing his food, swallowed, and tapped his chopsticks against the rim of the bowl thoughtfully. "Because you asked," he said at last. The chopsticks tapped again, this time against Neji's lower lip, which Gaara found to be somewhat distracting. "Why _did_ you ask?"

Because Temari and Kankuro all but begged Gaara to find a date. Because Gaara had agreed to the mission, no matter how misguided or useless it seemed. Because of everyone in Konoha, Neji seemed to be the least annoying. "Because… I thought you were pretty."

Neji blinked. Then he laughed, shaking his head. "Ah, of course. That explains it."

"It does?" Gaara wasn't sure it did.

"Nope. But I'm often considered to be a genius, so I try not to let people know when they're completely confusing me," Neji said lightly. "It would ruin my reputation."

Gaara stared at him.

Shukaku laughed at him. "_He's teasing you."_

"Oh," Gaara said weakly. Neji just smiled at him, and returned his attention to his food.

They finished the meal in silence, which was fine with Gaara, as he couldn't think of anything else to say. By the time they left the ramen stand, night had fallen, and darkness softly enveloped the town.

"This was… nice," Neji commented. "Weird and completely unlike you, but nice."

Gaara remembered something else Temari had said about proper behavior on dates. "Can I walk you home?"

"Mm. No offense, but I'd rather you didn't."

_Oh, right,_ Gaara thought. _No shinobi worth his kunai would show their enemy the way to their stronghold._ "Fine. I guess I'll be going then."

"Wait." In the dark, Neji's strange eyes almost glowed. "I know somewhere else we could go." Neji grinned, then leapt easily to a rooftop, running off as if he fully expected Gaara to follow. And Gaara did, without a second thought.

It was almost a chase, Neji pausing sometimes on rooftops to wait for Gaara, then darting away before Gaara could fully catch up to him. It was almost playful, lighthearted, and for some reason Gaara found himself breathless, from a strange feeling of excitement, if not from the run.

Neji finally came to a halt in the park, the same park in which Gaara had chosen him as the target for this mission. It looked different in the dark, shadowed and still, private. The trees blocked the view of most of the town, and it felt like the two could very well be the only two people for miles around. Neji plopped down on a park bench, and at his inviting gesture, Gaara unslung the gourd and sat down beside him.

"Why are we here?" Gaara asked. His voice was hushed; somehow, it seemed wrong to intrude upon the silence.

"Look up," Neji said.

Gaara looked. A great expanse of sky spread out above him, a thousand stars dazzling like fine crystal sand. A sliver of moon touched everything with a hint of silver. It was a perfect, dark desert, a beauty that Gaara had simply never bothered to look at, never cared to admire. It resonated with something inside him. He wanted to be up there. He wanted to be a part of that, of that dark, welcoming bleakness. Free of this world…

"I've always loved the sky," Neji said softly. "Up there… nothing on this earth can hold you down."

"To fly… would be freedom," Gaara said, not taking his eyes from that rolling, starry desert.

"Exactly."

Freedom. It was an abstract, wholly impossible concept that Gaara had always dismissed as a useless and annoying thought. For one with a demon trapped within them, wishing for freedom, or happiness, or love, was a pointless activity. Survival was the most you could hope for, and even hope was a luxury Gaara was not often afforded. But here, under the stars, viewing Neji's dreams reflected in that glittering darkness, Gaara ached for that freedom. To be free of this world, high above it. To look down on the earth and its problems, and not have to care. To share that freedom with Neji.

At last, Neji stood. "Thank you, Gaara."

Gaara blinked at him. "For what?"

"For coming here with me." Neji offered an idle shrug. "For asking me on a date, I guess."

No one had ever thanked Gaara for anything, as far as he could recall. "Ah… you're welcome."

Neji lingered a moment more, then sighed, shaking his head. "I have to go. They'll come looking for me if I'm out too late."

Gaara felt a bitter twist of disappointment, not wanting Neji to leave. The rest of the world wasn't supposed to intrude upon this silent world, where it was just the two of them and the sky. He felt a sudden urge to take Neji away from all of this, away from "them," whoever they were.

"Can I see you tomorrow?" Gaara asked quickly, before Neji could walk away.

"Tomorrow?" Neji sounded surprised, as he had when Gaara had first asked him on a date. "I… sure."

"Good." The disappointment eased, knowing Gaara would see Neji again soon. "I'll meet you here tomorrow morning."

"Tomorrow morning then," Neji said. Gaara could hear amusement in his voice. "Until then, Gaara. Goodnight."

"Goodnight," Gaara said.

Then Neji was gone, as silent as a shadow, as a good shinobi would. Gaara considered returning to his hotel, then decided against it, reclining back on the park bench to admire the sky. The sand hummed peacefully in the gourd, and for once, Shukaku was quiet. Gaara felt as though some weight had been lifted from him. The stars glittered down at him, invitingly. Unexpectedly, Neji had given him a gift, a precious treasure. A dream of freedom.

Perhaps there was something good about the night after all.


	5. Chapter 5

Gaara didn't sleep that night. Not that he ever really did, but for once, he didn't even really feel tired. That was something of a marvel in itself; he was so used to the bone-deep weariness, that barely hidden weight of exhaustion that hung forever on the edge of his consciousness. He could hardly remember the last time he felt so energized.

"_Stop pacing,"_ Shukaku demanded. "_You're making me dizzy."_

Gaara did stop pacing across the floor of his hotel room, mostly because he wasn't sure what Shukaku would be like when it was dizzy. It might possibly cause the demon to mentally vomit, and there were things Gaara figured he was better off not experiencing.

"_Good call,"_ the demon said dryly. "_Relax. You made it through a date without screwing up. You even get to see him again in the morning. Your "mission" is going smoothly. What are you so stressed over?"_

"One date went okay," Gaara said. "But what am I supposed to do for tomorrow's?"

"_I don't know,"_ Shukaku said genially. "_Push him up against the nearest convenient surface, rip his clothes off and screw him silly?" _

"You're not helping," Gaara said through gritted teeth. Temari had said that dinner was usually a proper activity for a first date, but she hadn't mentioned what was considered appropriate for a second one. He'd wanted to ask her, but she'd already gone to bed by the time he'd returned to the hotel. He and Neji had been out longer than he'd realized. Gaara had briefly considered waking Temari up, then decided against it. While the sand would have protected him from anything she would have thrown at him, she probably wouldn't be coherent enough, or in any mood to explain what was expected of him next. From listening to Temari's arguments with Kankuro over the matter, Gaara had already concluded that his brother's advice probably wouldn't be enough to get him through a second date.

So Gaara had briefly browsed through Konoha's library for information. As it was a shinobi village, with frequent nocturnal missions, places like the library were kept open all night. One never knew when they would need to do research, on tactics, country relations and histories, or looking up particular maps of little known areas. Unfortunately, the Konoha library had a distinct lack of information that would be helpful for Gaara's current mission. In his research, he learned five techniques for interrogation through culinary skills, seven ways to use small rodents as a weapon, and the history of a short-lived art form known as kunai-juggling. None of the books he could find said anything about what one was supposed to do for a second date.

He'd finally returned to his hotel room to pace.

"_Really, dating isn't as hard as you think,"_ Shukaku finally said. "_You don't need a step-by-step mission outline to do it. I know you keep calling this a mission, but really it's a simple social interaction that mortals have been performing with rather impressive results for hundreds of years."_

"Then why do I feel like I need some form of instruction on the technique?"

"Because you have the social skills of a rabid bear," the demon said. ­"You want instructions? Fine. Talk to Neji. Learn about him. Should have done that tonight, but you were too busy ogling him, if I recall correctly." 

Study the target. That was one of the first rules of being a shinobi. Gaara knew all the rules by heart, and he felt stupid for forgetting even the most basic of them when confronted by Neji's intense and curious gaze.

"_I wouldn't take it too hard,"_­­ Shukaku said. ­"_I wasn't all that impressed by his interrogation skills either. I was certain he was going to pry out your every reason for asking him out. You should be proud; he must have been having a good enough time that he didn't care about your reasons. But tomorrow, find out about him. And you might want to be prepared to talk a bit about yourself as well. Don't forget to mention me, either. Tell him all about how I wreak havoc on your sanity, and drive you to do great and terrible things."_

"Are you trying to scare him away?"

"Just wanted him to be impressed… You never know, maybe he'll find it sexy." 

Gaara scowled. "Why do I keep talking to you? You always say such stupid things."

"_Hey, I'm just trying to help,"_­ Shukaku said. "_But go ahead and muddle through it on your own. At least I'll still be around to laugh at you when it all goes to hell."_

Gaara didn't take Shukaku's lack of faith in him too personally. In fact, it was almost a relief to have the demon talking down to him again. It disturbed him when Shukaku was trying to be helpful. Gaara couldn't quite figure out _why_ Shukaku was trying to help him with this mission with Neji, either. Though it did seem very focused in getting Gaara into bed with Neji, presumably so it could watch. Maybe Shukaku was just horny.

Now that was truly a disturbing thought. Gaara was going to have to proceed with this mission with a little more caution, until he ascertained what Shukaku's true intentions were, as well as, perhaps, his own. His own life had already been ruined by the demon; he wasn't about to let Shukaku somehow ruin Neji as well.

"_Really,"_ Shukaku griped. "_You're no fun at all."_

_x.x.x_

Gaara watched the sunrise from the park, as he waited for Neji. Logically he knew Neji wasn't going to be there that early, but he just couldn't stand to wait in the hotel room any longer. Gaara almost liked sunrises, as much as he liked anything. Shukaku was most active at night, and the demon would quiet down somewhat as morning dawned. So Gaara got to enjoy the lightening of the day in some semblance of peace.

At first the hours passed by with Gaara hardly noticing them. The park gradually filled with people as the morning g officially began, though most of them kept a careful distance from the park bench where Gaara waited. As the morning wore on and Neji didn't come, Gaara became somewhat concerned. They hadn't really settled on a specific time to meet, but it was getting later in the day, and he'd really expected Neji to be there earlier…

"I didn't mean to keep you waiting."

Something very much like relief settled in Gaara when Neji finally arrived, shortly before noon. Gaara stood, and the two of them walked down the park path.

"I meant to be here earlier," Neji explained. "But it seemed like everyone in Konoha wanted to stop and talk with me this morning. At least, everyone that saw you in the training grounds yesterday, plus all the people that Lee told, as well. They all think that you're up to something, and apparently believe that I would know what that something is."

"Why would I be up to something?" Gaara _was_ up to something, of course. But he didn't think Neji would be too happy to hear the details of this particular mission.

"That's pretty much what I said," Neji said with a smile. "Though I don't think they're all willing to believe you're here on vacation. So we may have to deal with a few people with too much time on their hands trying to spy on us."

Now that Neji mentioned it, quite a few people in the park had been slowing down to watch them as they walked past. Gaara scowled automatically, and a several of them hurried off about their business. Gaara still wasn't too pleased with this recent development. This mission would be hard enough without an audience.

Neji seemed to understand Gaara's unspoken reluctance to be watched by so many people. "Don't worry," Neji reassured him. "I've already thought of a place we can go." He didn't say where, though, only quickened his pace. Intrigued, Gaara followed.

Neji led the way out of the park and through the village. Gaara walked closely beside him, trying to ignore all the people on the street that watched them go by. The sand was already whispering and grating inside its gourd, anxious. It probably wouldn't kill anybody, Gaara mused. Only… scare them a little. But it wouldn't help, he decided. It was his own infamy that was causing this mass curiosity. Probably causing a sand tidal wave to sweep away all the spectators would just make things worse.

Neji didn't seem too bothered by it, though. Probably he was used to people watching him. Gaara could understand that; he rather enjoyed looking at Neji, too.

Neji took a series of short-cuts out of the village. Gaara started to recognize some of the terrain as they passed by. He'd passed this way before, on his way to the second part of the chuunin exams. They'd left the curious onlookers behind, and Neji finally came to a stop outside a high fence, enclosing a dense forest.

"Here we are," Neji announced.

The Forest of Death. It lived up to its name; many people had died here. It was a training ground, and had been used as a site for the second part of the chuunin exams. It was dark in there, and full of dangerous creatures, that generally ate first and asked questions halfway through digestion. Gaara really doubted his sister would have suggested a place like this for a second date.

"Are we even allowed to go in there?" Gaara finally asked.

Neji shrugged. "We're not genin anymore. And really, the fence is more to keep the forest in, rather than the shinobi out. Besides… what good are we as shinobi if we can't even sneak into one little Forest of Death?"

Whatever the standard "second date" activity was supposed to be, Gaara expected that this idea was going to be more fun.

Getting into the Forest of Death was ridiculously easy. There were guards, but not many. Nobody honestly expected people to try to get _in_ the Forest of Death. And even if they did get in, the forest had its own protections. Not that Neji and Gaara needed to fear the forest's poisonous and vicious creepy-crawlies. So they easily bypassed the few guards, found an easy entrance, and made their way inside.

The forest was heavily shaded and chilly. Neji and Gaara just walked silently through the forest for a while. Creatures made strange noises in the far distance, but nothing came to attack. Gaara thought he recognized a few of the trails, but couldn't be entirely sure. The forest was a world unto itself, and seemed to be hiding all its secrets in a shroud of muted light and dense foliage.

The two of them finally headed upward into the vast network of branches, finding a sturdy limb to sit on and view the forest. Neither of them had said much during their walk. Gaara listened to the sand humming gently in the gourd, and thought about the last time he was here. It seemed like a lifetime since the chuunin exams. That had been the first time he'd been to Konoha. Not that it had mattered to him, back then. He hadn't cared where he was. He didn't even care about the exams, or becoming chuunin. The fighting was fine, but all that had really mattered at the time was the killing.

He could still feel it sometimes, inside of him. He could feel it now, here in the Forest of Death. The old wounds would always be there, and with them that urge to spill as much blood as possible, to somehow ease his own hurts.

"I killed someone," Gaara said to the forest's faintly ominous quiet. He didn't know why he said that, of all things. But here in the forest of monsters, he felt… like he needed to explain what he was. "Not too far from here, during the chuunin exams. They may have told me their name, but I don't remember it. They tried to kill me, but that's not why I killed them. I killed them because I could. Because that's what mattered, back then."

When Neji said nothing, Gaara added, "Because I'm a monster."

"Mm," Neji murmured. "Have you killed anybody lately?"

"_I wish!"_ Shukaku grumbled.

Gaara ignored the homicidal demon's commentary. "Well, no… not lately."

"Killed anybody in the last few years? Just for fun, I mean. Shinobi missions don't count."

"No." Gaara frowned. "What does that matter?"

Neji shrugged. "When I was a genin, I believed that people were what they were, from the day they were born, until the day they died. It took me a long while- and a rather embarrassing beating- for me to figure out that people were capable of changing. I know that I've changed since that time at the chuunin exams. I like to think I've changed for the better. I think you have too. The Gaara you were back then wouldn't have asked me out yesterday."

"You don't think I'm a monster?" Gaara was suddenly aware that some part of him had expected Neji, with his ability to look into and through a person, would quickly see Gaara for what he really was. Other people, like Naruto or Lee, somehow naïve enough not to recognize it, but surely this elite shinobi would have realized. It was only a matter of time before Neji wanted nothing more to do with him.

Neji shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know you that well. I'm not saying you're not a monster, but I'm not saying you are. What I'm saying is… you don't have to be if you don't want to."

"And if I do want to?"

"Then you can do that too, I suppose."

The conversation was a morbid fascination to Gaara. "What if I wanted to kill you? Could I do that?"

Neji's intense eyes favored him with an unreadable gaze, one that made Gaara almost forget what they were talking about. "Do you think you could?"

What was Neji asking? If Gaara though he had enough strength, enough skills to kill him? Or if he could even bring himself to deal the killing blow, to someone that intrigued him so, plagued him with such wonder and confusion? Could Gaara really stand to watch the life go out of those fine opal eyes?

Gaara finally looked away, down at the interweaving branches below that blocked the view of the forest floor. "I don't want to kill you."

"I'm relieved to hear that."

"_Just in case anybody's wondering,"_ Shukaku said, "_I want to kill_ both _of you."_

Gaara ignored the demon, in favor of trying to sort out his tangled thoughts. He really didn't understand this strange feeling he got when he talked with Neji. Like everything was both so much clearer, and so much more muddled than it had been. He didn't think Neji really wanted him to be a monster, even though he said that he could. The monster in Gaara would scare Neji, no matter how elite a shinobi he was. But Neji thought Gaara could be something other than a monster. If Gaara wanted. It all came down to what Gaara wanted.

So what did Gaara want?

It felt like so long since Gaara had had a purpose in life. Sure, before, his purpose had been to kill people, as many and as messily as he could. He'd given up that path, but had yet to find something to replace it. Something to really fulfill him.

"I don't know what I want," Gaara finally admitted.

"It's not really something you have to decide right now," Neji said.

When silence fell this time, it was almost a comfortable one. Neji seemed relaxed in his own contemplations. Gaara tried to sort through his own. It was too much to think about. And he felt like there was _something_, just beyond his ability to define it, that would explain everything, if he could only grasp it. The harder he thought about it, the more elusive the feeling became.

"_You think too much,"_ Shukaku said. "_Quit angsting about your pathetic and miserable life. You're on a date, remember?"_

Right, the mission. Gaara grimaced; he _had_ forgotten. Once again, he wished he'd been able to scrounge up some sort of information about how this human ritual was conducted. But at least he'd been able to come up with an idea for it on his own. He dug out the small jar he'd brought with him.

"Here," Gaara said, handing the little item out to Neji. "I brought you something."

Neji took the jar, peering in confusion at its contents. "Sand?" He blinked as the sand in the jar twisted and roiled of its own volition, as if ruffled by a wind. Neji blinked at Gaara in surprise. "This is _your_ sand, isn't it? Are you… sure you should be giving this to me?"

Gaara shrugged slightly. "I have more." He frowned, suddenly uneasy. "Do you… like it?"

"Yeah." Neji smiled, watching the sand swirl and whirlwind in its small glass container. "It's kind of cute."

The rest of Gaara's sand, secure in its gourd, hummed and swished in pleasure. In counterpoint, something in the distance crashed through the trees. The tree the two boys were sitting in shook, showering them both leaves.

Gaara picked a leaf out of his hair, tossing it in the direction of the disturbance. He looked over at Neji, almost shyly. "So… want to go kill something?"

Neji tucked his present away to keep it safe. Gaara could see Neji's eyes glitter, more intense, disturbing, and beautiful than Gaara had ever seen them. "I thought you'd never ask."


	6. Chapter 6

"Where were you this morning?" Temari asked when Gaara returned to the hotel room. "When you didn't come down for breakfast, we checked your room and you weren't there. You know it worries us when you randomly disappear like that."

"Don't worry," Gaara said, sitting down at the table and pouring a glass of juice for himself. "I didn't kill anybody." Any_body_, no- the Forest of Death was, however, littered with the shredded remains of the many vicious creatures he and Neji had happened across during their date. The thought almost made him smile.

Temari huffed. "That's not why we were worried. We know you don't go out killing people anymore."

"Do you really?" Gaara fixed an unreadable gaze on his sister, and even now it never failed to make her squirm, just a little. Yes, she and Kankuro were his family, the only family he had ever had that he didn't hate. Once, even that might not have saved them from him, being as murderously-minded as he had been. Gaara was stable (for the most part) now, and had no intention of killing either of them. And while he was sure they understood that, he knew their fear of him remained. Just a little, in the back of their minds, they were still afraid of him. Sometimes he used that to his advantage. Sometimes it just made him feel sick.

"I was out with Neji," Gaara said, not bothering to let his sister answer.

Temari brightened. "That's great! I'm glad you're having a good time with him. I told you Konoha was the right place to start. And you know, if you decide that Neji isn't really the right… target, you can always decide on another one. In fact, most people are rarely lucky enough to get a relationship right on the first time. Not that I'm trying to discourage you or anything."

Change targets? Gaara couldn't think of anyone that would make nearly so interesting a target as Hyuuga Neji. He couldn't think of anybody he would prefer to try this "dating" thing with. "I don't need a new target. Neji is fine." This decided, Gaara calmly took a drink of his juice.

"Hm," Temari said, with an odd little smile. "So, have you kissed him yet?"

Gaara swallowed the juice a little too fast, and nearly choked. "_No._ Why would I do that?"

Temari shrugged. "That's what people do when they really like someone. And I think you do like him."

"I do not like him," Gaara said. "I don't _like_ anyone. Neji is a target for a mission. That's all."

"Alright," Temari conceded, holding up her hands in a gesture of surrender. "Although I do think you're missing the _point_ of this so-called mission, it's your life, and you don't have to like him if you don't want. However, if I may make a suggestion…?"

"…what is it?"

"At least try getting close to him," she said. "Physically close, I mean. Doesn't have to be much, but… Well, sometimes I think one of your problems is you just don't get any physical contact with people. You always hold yourself apart from people, and certainly they give you enough personal space, that I don't think you've really _touched_ anybody. You even let your sand do most of your fighting for you."

It was a strange request, and Gaara didn't really see the point in it. But as Temari had proven to give fairly reliable advice thus far… "I'll think about it."

And he did think about it. He thought about touching Neji all day, complete with inappropriate commentary from his resident demon about just _how_ he ought to be touching Neji. He hadn't really noticed that he never really made contact with people in his everyday life, but as he wandered through Konoha, he noticed that people really did leave a lot of space for him to pass, clearing a path for him even on crowded streets. He wondered if Neji would even let him touch him.

The more he thought about it, the more he wanted to see Neji. The afternoon wore on, and it was starting to get dark out, but it wasn't really all that late. He really did want to see Neji once more before he had to spend another sleepless night alone, so he went to seek the shinobi out. By this time of day, Neji was probably at home, and Gaara didn't know where the Hyuuga complex was located. But people were still out and about on the street, and among them, Gaara spotted the girl he'd seen Neji talking with in the park.

The Hyuuga girl (he knew he'd heard her name sometime during the chuunin exams, but he hadn't been paying enough attention to remember it now) was carrying a bag of groceries and was probably headed home herself. Though it would be an easy thing just to follow her, he decided it would be taken as a bad sign were he to just sneak into the Hyuuga complex. He was, after all, something of a diplomat here, and they generally frowned on things like that.

A direct confrontation was necessary. The girl froze when Gaara approached, her pale eyes- so much like Neji's- wide and frightened. Gaara kept a careful distance from her- she looked like she was ready to bolt. No wonder Kankuro had said this one was too shy.

"Hyuuga," Gaara greeted. "I'm looking for Neji. Would you mind showing me to his home?"

"I… I…" she took several steps back. "Um… I… He's… not home. I… he… Neji has a misson. He's with his team at the front gate… they're about to l-leave…"

He left her where she stood, still stammering, as he took off at a run toward the gates of Konoha. He had to catch Neji before he left. He didn't… he didn't _want_ Neji to go on a mission. If Neji were to get hurt…

"_Careful now,"_ Shukaku warned. "_You're starting to sound like you like him."_

"_I do_ not _like him,"_ Gaara replied to the demon. "_But there wouldn't be much of a mission left if my target goes off and gets killed, would there? Besides, we don't have that much time here in Konoha. If he goes, we may have to leave before he gets back."_

"_Right,"_ Shukaku murmured. "_It's not like you're worried about his safety or anything."_

"_Not in the least."_

Still, despite the fact that he _was not_ worried about Neji, Gaara was almost relieved to see Neji's team still at the gate, checking over their preparations to go. Neji looked surprised to see him there, but not displeased, Gaara noted with some satisfaction. Neji gestured to his teammates to wait a moment, and stepped over to speak with Gaara.

"Come to see me off?" Neji asked. "You must have run into Hinata. The mission came up suddenly, or I would have told you-"

"You can't go," Gaara announced, cutting through Neji's apology.

Neji blinked. "What are you talking about? I have to go, this is my job. It's not a long mission, I'll return sometime tomorrow. We could go out for lunch when I get back."

"You can't go," Gaara insisted again. "You'll get hurt."

"Oh." Neji seemed to relax, even smiled faintly. "Is that what this is about? I'll be fine, Gaara. The mission isn't hard, and I have a good team."

"Not good _enough_," said Gaara. "If you won't stay, let me come with you."

"While that would probably make the mission more… interesting, I'm pretty sure it would be a breach of diplomatic etiquette to let you come. My team and I can handle it," Neji assured him. "You've seen them fight. You even fought Lee yourself in the chuunin exams-"

"And defeated him." Why couldn't Neji understand that he couldn't go? "TenTen lost to Temari. Even you were defeated, by _Naruto,_ no less."

Gaara could tell immediately that that had not been the right thing to say. Neji's smile faded, his expression hardening. His eyes suddenly seemed cold.

"I have to go," Neji said shortly, adjusting the weight of his small pack, and turning away from Gaara. Neji's team look puzzled by his expression, but didn't argue when Neji signaled for them to move out.

"Neji, wait," Gaara said.

Silently as shadows, Neji stepped out into the woods and vanished into the dark. He didn't even look back. TenTen quickly followed. Lee hesitated, looking back at Gaara. He looked like he was about to say something, then just shook it off, offered Gaara a somewhat weak grin, and disappeared after his teammates.

­"_Nice going,"_­ Shukaku congratulated. "_I knew if I waited long enough, you'd screw up somehow. I'm surprised it took you this long."_

"I didn't mean to make him angry," said Gaara.

"_Oh, you didn't? Could have fooled me. If you weren't trying to make him angry, what_ was _your reasoning for telling him that he and his team were a bunch of losers?_"

"I just wanted him to stay." He could go after him, though it probably wouldn't help anything. There wasn't much he could do to get Neji to call off this mission and stay, short of tying him up. While it did have the benefit of keeping Neji safe, Gaara doubted Neji would ever speak to him again. Then his own mission would be a failure.

"_You don't even know what kind of mission he was going on,"_ Shukaku pointed out. "_He might have been right, it might not even be all that dangerous."_

"They wouldn't have given a minor mission to Neji," Gaara said. "They wouldn't waste him on small stuff that genin could do."

"_If you had that kind of faith in his abilities,"_ Shukaku said, "_why didn't you tell him that, instead of insulting him?"_

Gaara didn't have an answer for that. Instead, he found a spot to settle down and wait. There was no point in going back to the hotel; it's not as though he could sleep. He would be here by the gate, so he could see Neji the moment he returned, and somehow make Neji understand he hadn't meant those things he'd said quite the way they had sounded.

It seemed as though the night had never passed more slowly.

_x.x.x_

"Gaara! Hey, Gaara!"

Gaara looked over when somebody called out to him, mildly surprised to find Naruto running over to him. He knew Naruto, had even spent some time around him before, but he'd never really considered him a friend. Well, of course he didn't; he didn't consider _anyone_ to be a friend. But he found he could tolerate Naruto for periods of time. It helped that Naruto's presence always brought out the baser nature of Shukaku, reducing the demon to the low growls and snarls that Gaara could tune out.

Naruto didn't bother sitting; Gaara knew Naruto always had too much energy to be still for too long. "I'd heard you got here a couple of days ago, but I haven't seen you around. You on vacation or something, or is this some diplomatic thing?"

"A little of both," Gaara said. "Who told you I was in town?"

"Everybody!" Naruto exclaimed. "A lot of them thought you'd be looking for me, since we're friends and all, but when you never showed, I went looking for you. Hinata said she'd seen you running this way." Naruto looked up at the gates, frowning. "What are you doing here, anyway?"

"Waiting." Gaara turned his gaze back to the gate. "Naruto… you're friends with Neji, aren't you?"

"Neji?" Naruto blinked. "Yeah, I guess so. Sort of. He's hard to get close to, but sometimes he'll come along when a bunch of us go out for ramen."

"You beat him in the chuunin exams," Gaara said. "Does that still upset him?"

"Wow, that was a long time ago." Naruto laughed. "You know, I have no idea, really. Neji's funny like that. Sometimes he holds a grudge for ages, sometimes he shrugs it off like it was nothing. I think he's okay with how that fight turned out. He's a lot less of a jerk now, too! No more of that crap about fate that he used to go on about. Why all the questions about Neji, anyway? I didn't think you two had ever even said two words to each other before."

"I asked him out the other day."

"No kidding?" Naruto let out a low whistle of amazement. "That's a new one. Didn't think Neji did the casual dating thing. I mean, I've heard he's fairly popular, but I don't think I've ever heard that he was dating anybody. And it's damned hard to keep stuff like that quiet in Konoha, trust me. I hear all about who's dating who from Sakura."

That was something Gaara hadn't given much thought to, that other people his age would be starting this confusing "dating" thing, as well. Possibly they would have more insight on the activity than he had been able to garner. "Are you dating someone?"

Naruto shut his mouth so fast his teeth clicked, his face taking on a peculiar pink tint. "Er… well… what I meant… okay, yeah. I've been keeping it secret though, because… my boyfriend would think it was such a _pain_ to have people gossiping about him."

"It is a boy, then…" That was interesting. Everybody seemed to think it was so peculiar for a male to date another male, and Gaara hadn't quite figured out why. He'd simply chalked it up to being another one of those "normal people" rules that forever made little sense to him. Things like that were better off ignored.

"You know, I never really thought you'd be the type to date," Naruto went on. "No offense or anything, you just never seemed… into that sort of thing. Or anything that involved speaking to people, or being around people…"

"It was Temari and Kankuro's idea. They thought it would make me… happy."

"Has it?" Naruto asked.

"… I don't know." Gaara frowned. "It all seems very complicated. I'm not sure I'm very good at it."

Naruto snickered. "It's not _hard_, Gaara. Everybody else seems to be managing it just fine. Even Lee, and nobody _ever_ thought he'd manage to get a girlfriend. Hinata says all his goofiness is kind of sweet, though. It's not like it's a… a mission or anything like that. You just find somebody you like, and that likes you, and you spend a lot of time together."

That might be well and good for some people. But Gaara didn't like people, not even Neji. If you liked someone, they hurt you. He wasn't going to let anyone hurt him, ever again. Neji would never be anything more than a mission. Assuming that Neji was still willing to be his target once he returned from his own mission. Gaara's gaze strayed back to the gate. No, when Neji returned, Gaara would find a way to repair the damage he had done, and continue with the mission. He would not choose a different target.

Naruto watched him in silence for half a moment, before blurting, "Aren't you _bored_?"

"I do no get bored," Gaara replied. Vaguely, he seemed to recall Shukaku once saying much the same thing…

"Everybody gets bored," Naruto said. "I get bored a lot. I'm bored just watching you."

"Then go do something else."

Naruto frowned, then brightened suddenly. "I could teach you a jutsu!"

"What?" Gaara frowned at him.

"No, really, it'll be fun. Then you'll have something to do while you're waiting. I'll teach you one of my famous transformation jutsu, one I invented myself!" Naruto nodded, pleased with his idea.

Gaara had heard all about Naruto's "famous jutsu." "Naruto, I'm not letting you transform me into a girl," Gaara said.

"Aw, but Gaara-"

Naruto's whine was cut off as the gate finally opened. Gaara stood, not even stiff from the long night sitting. Neji's team was finally returning. As they stepped through the gate into the city, Gaara was stunned to see the state they were in. They were dirty, disheveled, and Neji-

_-Neji was covered in blood._

"They hurt him," Gaara whispered. His next words were a snarl, colored by Gaara's rage and Shukaku's hate. "_They hurt him!­_" A red haze clouded his vision, and the sand spilled out of the gourd like a vengeful wave. "_I'LL KILL THEM!_"

Fury thundered in Gaara's head, and Shukaku howled its wrath. Gaara felt his control over the beast crumble, and he didn't care. He was going to kill them. Kill whoever had spilled Neji's blood. Track them down and crush them, listen to them scream as they died in agony. And then he would kill TenTen and Lee, for not protecting him, for being too _weak_. He would kill the ones who sent Neji on this mission, the Hokage if he had to. They were _all going to die_!

"Gaara!" A voice tried to penetrate the dark red haze of his thoughts. "Gaara, listen to me! _It's not my blood!_"

The fog cleared, and Gaara's thoughts snapped back to clarity. Shukaku snarled as the barriers clamped down around it once more. Gaara found himself staring at the concerned faces of Neji and his teammates, and beyond them, a circle of Konoha jounin, with weapons poised should Gaara attack in his fury. The sand fell to the ground, as if it suddenly lost all its energy. Gaara focused on Neji.

"You're… not hurt?" His throat felt raw as he spoke. "There's so much blood."

TenTen hesitantly held up a hand. "My fault, I'm afraid."

Gaara looked at her, then back at Neji, not understanding.

Neji smiled at him reassuringly. "It's the flaw of TenTen's favored fighting style. The better she gets, the more of a mess she makes."

The relief Gaara felt that Neji was safe was soon dwarfed by Gaara's realization of what had happened. He had lost control. All his hard won control over the demon, over himself, he had given it all up in that one moment. It had been so easy to give in to his anger and hatred, he had almost returned to the monster he had once been…

He called up his sands, summoning up a transportation jutsu to take him away from there. _Anywhere_ else.

Gaara ended up several blocks from the gate, and he just kept going. He couldn't go back to the hotel, couldn't face his siblings and tell them what he'd almost done. He left the main city altogether, found himself following the path he and Neji had taken on their last date. Bypassed the guards easily, just as they had done before, and ended up in the dark solitude of the Forest of Death.

The remains of the creatures he and Neji had killed were gone now, probably eaten by something else. Gaara was glad for it; he didn't want to see any more blood right now. Finally he ended up sitting on a tree branch, high above the ground, breathing hard. He didn't think he could stand to go back. Maybe not ever.

He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, before he heard somebody calling his name.

"How did you find me?" Gaara asked, finding he wasn't all that surprised as Neji took a seat on the branch next to him. Neji had exchanged his bloody shirt for a clean one, though the rest of his clothes were still smattered with stains.

"I wouldn't be much of a shinobi if I couldn't track down a target, now would I?" Neji said lightly. "Gaara…"

"You should go," Gaara said. "Go back to your city, to your home. You would be… safer away from me."

"Just yesterday, you were of a different opinion about that."

"I was wrong. You… have no _idea_ what I wanted to do, when I thought you had come back injured…"

Neji was silent a moment, then said, almost surprised, "You really _were _worried about me, weren't you?"

There wasn't much of a point to denying it now. "Yes. I suppose I was."

"Hm." Neji smiled, which surprised Gaara. "You know, I don't think anyone has ever been concerned about me while I was out on a mission. It's… kind of nice, in a way, even with the demon rages." Neji leaned over, his breath a warm prelude on Gaara's skin before he kissed him on the cheek, ever so softly.

Gaara's heart seemed to miss a beat. The sand spilled out of the gourd with a sigh, drifting around the two of them in ribbons, nudging the both of them softly but insistently closer together. Gaara could feel the warmth of Neji's body, even without touching him, and he took in a soft gulp of air, suddenly realizing he'd been holding his breath.

Neji's eyes were so bright, and he didn't pull away. Gaara let the sand draw them together, marveling at the way it felt to touch another person, this person. Without conscious thought, Gaara's hands found Neji's arms, slid up almost wonderingly over his shoulders, before they were pulling Neji closer to Gaara, holding him. Neji's lips curved in a smile. The sand purred, and Gaara kissed Neji.

Gaara's world narrowed to tactile sensation, something he was unfamiliar with. Neji's warmth, Neji's arms around him. Neji's breath and his tastes, strands of his hair gently tickling Gaara's skin. Gaara was aware of his heart beating, almost pounding, and he thought he could feel Neji's heartbeat as well, matching the rhythm. This was new, it was all so new, to touch and be touched by another, and it just… it just wasn't enough. Gaara wanted to drown in this feeling, fill all of his senses with Neji. Neji soothed the emptiness in Gaara, made Gaara feel…

_Alive._

Gaara drew back, startled by the realization. Though they were apart, Gaara could still feel Neji's touch, almost feel Neji's lips against his own. His body felt alive with the awareness of Neji, so much that Gaara almost drew Neji close again, to feel his warmth, taste his lips. The suddenness of the craving was… deeply unsettling.

"I…" Gaara said, at a loss for what to say. He wanted Neji near him, and at the same time, wanted to run away. "I…"

"Should probably return to your hotel," Neji said. "Your family is probably worried about you. I need to check in with my superiors about the mission, anyway…"

"Mm." Gaara nodded, both relieved and disappointed for the excuse to leave.

They were silent as they left the Forest of Death, walking back toward the main avenues of the village. The sand whispered faintly within the gourd, and for once, Shukaku had nothing to say.

They said their goodbyes, though Gaara felt as though there were something more he _ought_ to say. Neji just smiled at him, and to Gaara's delight and despair, kissed him once more before departing. Gaara watched him go, his heart thrumming anew even at that briefest touch.

"Excuse me, Gaara?" Someone's voice startled him out of his thoughts, and he felt a surge of anger at himself for forgetting himself and his surroundings so completely.

TenTen didn't cower when he turned his scowl on her. "Can I talk to you a minute?"

Though his first impulse was to ignore her and return to his hotel, she was Neji's teammate, so he finally gave a curt nod. She indicated that they should move to a more secluded street, and he followed, silent as he waited for her to speak.

TenTen seemed reluctant to start, not sure of how she should begin. "You're not the first person to ask Neji out, you know. There have been plenty of others, mostly girls, but a few boys. He's pretty popular. He's always really polite about it, but he's always turned them down. You're the first person he's ever said yes to."

Gaara was surprised, though his expression didn't show it. Nor did it show the unexpected spark of satisfaction at that admission.

"I think he likes you," TenTen admitted. "That's why I've got a favor to ask." When Gaara simply waited for her to continue, she said quickly, "Please, break it off with him. Don't see him anymore."

"What?" Gaara snapped. How dare she ask that of him? "Why?"

TenTen flinched slightly at his tone, but she didn't back down. "You have to. If this continues, you'll only end up hurting him. I can't… I can't let you hurt him."

"What happened at the gate-"

"-Doesn't have anything to do with this," TenTen said. "Though it is a concern as well. But the real reason I'm asking for this is… Neji is going to get married."

­"_Married?"_ Shukakur snarled, coming out of its sulk. "_To who?"_

"His cousin Hanabi," TenTen answered when Gaara asked Shukaku's question aloud. "It's not really official yet, but Neji has known about the match for years now. That's why he never dates. I don't know why he changed his mind this time, but sooner or later… he knows it'll have to end."


	7. Chapter 7

Gaara sat on one of the rooftops of the village, staring out across the collection of shops and house as if contemplating their worth. But his mind wasn't on the scenery. He was thinking about Neji. It seemed like he'd thought of nothing but Neji for the past few days, but it was hard not to. Especially now, after the conversation he'd had with TenTen.

_Married._ Neji, getting married. Gaara had never met Hanabi in his previous visits to the village. TenTen had said she was younger than Neji, a quiet, serious little girl, and talented in the many skills prized by her clan. Perhaps not yet as good as Neji, but TenTen had said she would probably be "a good match" for him.

It was that last part that bothered Gaara the most. When TenTen had said that, she hadn't been talking about which of them would win in a fight. She'd meant that the two would compliment one another, power for power, skill for skill, and presumably, pass those impeccable genetics and talents on to whatever children they would produce. As if Neji were an animal for breeding! It made Gaara want to hurt somebody.

"_That's a good start,"_ Shukaku said, encouragingly. "_A nice, relaxing killing-spree is just what you need."_

"I need to talk to Neji."

"_What for?"_ demanded Shukaku. "_You heard what his teammate said. You don't mean anything to him. He's using you."_

"I'm using him," Gaara corrected. "But Neji getting married… that would be an obstacle to my mission. I need to talk to him." TenTen had said that the marriage had been decided by the elders of the Hyuuga clan. What she had not mentioned was whether Neji had agreed.

And if he had, why would he have agreed to date Gaara?

Gaara left the rooftop, heading on a meandering tour through the city. It was getting dark early, most of the sky being darkened by ominous looking clouds. He didn't bother asking for directions to the Hyuuga complex. Gaara wandered the streets and alleys of Konoha. He passed a few of the stores two or three times. Despite his decision to go and talk with Neji, to hear his explanation on what TenTen said… he almost dreaded what Neji would say.

Even with his wanderings, nearly an hour later, he found himself outside the high walls of a clan complex. The sign beside the gate read, "Hyuuga."

"_Well, you're here,"_ Shukaku said. "_For all the good it will do you. My vote is still for the killing-spree."_

Gaara was contemplating whether to knock or simply go inside, when the gate opened, revealing three shinobi that Gaara didn't recognize, though their pale, opalescent eyes marked them as Neji's relatives. Sentries most likely, and curious as to why Gaara was there. They had no weapons visible, though Gaara had no doubt they were all well armed. Not to mention the many ways a Hyuuga could kill a person with only a touch. Though with the sand protecting Gaara, they'd never get close enough for that. But it looked as though the three of them did not consider Gaara a threat.

"_Obviously they don't know you very well,"_ Shukaku commented.

"I'm here to speak to Neji Hyuuga," Gaara said without preamble. "Is he here?"

The sentries blinked at him. "Is he expecting you?" one of them asked.

"I doubt it, but he'll speak to me anyway."

"You'll wait here," another of the sentries said. The gate was closed in Gaara's face.

The lack of hospitality didn't bother Gaara much. He hadn't really expected to be let in. Even though he was welcomed into Konoha due to his diplomatic status, it didn't guarantee him entrance into Konoha's clan homes. Leaving him at the gate was a matter of caution on the Hyuuga's part, until it was confirmed with the occupants that he was welcome.

And word was spread quickly to Neji that Gaara was waiting for him. Gaara had been waiting barely five minutes when the gate was opened again. Though Gaara had been expecting the return of the sentries, it was Neji that opened the door for him, gesturing for him to enter.

"You know," Neji said with a smile, "you have a talent for always showing up when I'm least expecting you. Come on in."

Gaara didn't cross the threshold. "I'm not visiting. I just need to talk to you."

"Come inside anyway," Neji said. "It's going to rain."

As if waiting for that cue, a raindrop spattered on Gaara's cheek. Startled by that, Gaara shot a glare at the sky, only to be rewarded with a raindrop in the eye. The rain picked up momentum quickly, and Gaara gave up and accepted Neji's offer to come inside where it was dry.

There were more people around than Gaara expected. A few of them offered a greeting to Neji and puzzled looks at Gaara, murmuring proper greetings to him as well as an afterthought. The Hyuuga complex was extensive, and Neji led him through some very elegant rooms and halls, all built and furnished of the finest materials, a tribute to the many generations of Hyuugas that had lived here.

Then Neji led him through a covered courtyard, and into a different building. This one was more crowded than the previous one, and most everyone had the strange, pale eyes of a Hyuuga. Neji had so much family. Gaara wondered what it must have been like for Neji, growing up surrounded by people, by family, people who presumably cared about him. Family was one of those touchy memories for Gaara, the kind that made Shukaku restless and eager for blood.

The building looked nearly identical to the first they had walked through, but as they walked, Gaara noticed little differences. While it was clean and well crafted, the building materials were not of the very highest quality as they had been in the other house. The furnishings were just as elegant, but looked to be less expensive reproductions. Wondering at the change of quality, Gaara followed Neji past the common rooms, into what appeared to be Neji's private quarters.

"There are so many of us around, sometimes it's difficult to find a quiet place to talk," Neji explained.

"_Sure,"_ Shukaku snickered. "_I doubt that was his real motivation for bringing you to his bedroom. I have to hand it to him, he sure doesn't waste much time."_

"_You shut up,"_ Gaara silently commanded the demon. He delayed the explanation for visiting, as well as the following conversation that he didn't want to have, by examining the contents of Neji's room.

Not that there was much in the way of contents. The furniture was functional and uninteresting. Gaara guessed that the two chests against one wall would contain everything Neji owned in the way of clothing, scrolls and weaponry. It looked like this were a guest room, and Neji had not bothered unpacking because he hadn't planned to stay long.

"_Or perhaps all his belongings were moved out, in anticipation of his upcoming marriage,"_ suggested Shukaku.

The only personal touch Gaara could find in the room was a tiny glass jar sitting on the nightstand, filled with sand that danced and swirled. The sand in Gaara's gourd made a pleased hum of recognition.

"It looks a lot like my room," Gaara finally offered a comment.

"Empty and boring?" Neji guessed. When Gaara looked at him in askance, Neji shrugged. "It's the Hyuuga household, but for some reason, it has never really felt like home. So I've never bothered decorating. You?"

"I don't spend much time in my bedroom," Gaara said. "I don't sleep, so there isn't much point to. Temari says I should just remake the room into an office, since I spend more time doing paperwork."

"You didn't come all the way here to talk about my taste in decorating, did you." It wasn't a question.

Gaara's gaze focused on the little jar of sand on the nightstand, rather than look at Neji. "TenTen came to talk to me today."

"Oh?" Neji sounded genuinely surprised, as if he couldn't imagine what his teammate would want to talk to Gaara about.

"She told me you were getting married."

"Oh." No denial, no reassurance, no explanation. Just, "Oh."

Gaara slanted a glance at Neji, but the Hyuuga's expression was unreadable. "Are you?"

Neji blew out a soft sigh. "Maybe."

"_Maybe?"_ demanded Shukaku. "_What kind of answer is 'maybe'? Either he is or he isn't."_

"It hasn't been decided on officially," Neji explained, as if answering Shukaku. "Whenever the clan elders have a meeting, the topic comes up. They debate it for a while, then put off the final decision for another time. I've been asked my thoughts on the matter, but that's a mere formality."

When the silence stretched and Neji offered nothing further, Gaara asked, "What are your thoughts on the matter?"

Neji said nothing at first, and Gaara thought perhaps he wouldn't answer. Then, "If my father had been born first, before his brother, I would be the future head of the Hyuuga clan. Because he was not born first, I was fated for the Branch side of the family, long before I was even conceived. When I discovered that was the way things were, that I could never aspire to anything higher in my clan hierarchy, I resented it deeply. So I trained and fought and honed every skill and talent I had, because… well, I'm not so sure why, anymore. Because I was angry. Because I wanted my family to recognize me as worthy. Because I wanted to make them _sorry_ that they had marked me as… inferior.

"And I guess it worked. They sure notice me now. I've impressed them, and they want to make me a part of that inner circle, the Main branch. Marriage to Hanabi would bring me as close to the top as I could ever get." Neji laughed, though there was no humor to it. "But it's too late. They've already marked me with my inferiority, for everyone to see if they know where to look. Hanabi would know. Despite a marriage between us, she would always see me as less than her. Inferior. I do not wish to marry someone who would not see me as an equal."

"You've told your elders this?"

"In the politest, most gracious manner possible, yes." Neji shrugged. "I imagine they've asked Hanabi as well, and likely she replied, just as politely, that she did not wish an alliance with someone so far beneath her. Neither opinion will matter in the end, of course. If they decide the marriage is best for the Hyuuga clan, then Hanabi and I will do what we were born to do. We will do what is best for the family."

Gaara said nothing at first. He knew he should leave now. Declare the mission a failure, cut his losses, and leave. He could let Temari pick the target next time, and they would research the new target's background a little before proceeding, to make sure there were no arranged marriages or family complications to get in the way. He would proceed with a new target, a new mission, and forget all about Neji. Forget Neji's warmth, forget Neji's kisses, forget the view of the stars Neji had shown him, forget Neji's acceptance of the monster within Gaara.

"_Good luck with that,"_ Shukaku said snidely. "_You've never been good at forgetting."_

Gaara should leave. Say nothing, and leave. Neji didn't look at him, and said nothing more, as if he were expecting Gaara to leave, as well. It was a curious expression on Neji's face. It was a sadness, perhaps, and an acceptance of the way things were. He would not fight, would not argue with his clan's elders when they decided to marry him to someone he did not want. In his mind, the deed was as good as done.

So where did Gaara fit into this?

"Why did you say yes?" Gaara asked the silence, making Neji's gaze snap to him. "TenTen said you said no to everyone, but yes to me. Why?"

A sad smile curved Neji's lips. "I told you why."

"That answer is no longer acceptable. I want to know your real reason." Had to know. Gaara couldn't explain why, but he had to know.

"Because of this." Neji reached out, and when Gaara made no move to stop him, Neji's fingertips brushed against Gaara's scar, the kanji for love, that he'd carved out of hatred.

Gaara flinched involuntarily at the touch, and Neji withdrew his hand. "I don't understand."

"I've heard your story," Neji said. "You've sworn to love no one but yourself. I don't know who put you up to asking me out, or why, but I knew you didn't ask me because you loved me, or could ever love me. And so, I knew I couldn't hurt you. When I have to end this, it won't break your heart. That's why I said yes. You'll go back to your village, and for you, it'll be like this never happened."

"And for you?" Gaara demanded. "Does this mean nothing to you, as well?"

"Oh, it's very real to me," said Neji, smiling wistfully. "I'll have the memories of this to keep with me. That's all I wanted. A pleasant memory of being with someone that I chose for myself."

And it hadn't mattered who that someone was. Gaara had just been convenient. He told himself it didn't matter what Neji's reasons had been. After all, Gaara himself had picked Neji randomly out of the crowd, for no more reason than Neji really was rather pretty. So really, it shouldn't matter why Neji had said yes, only that he had.

For some inexplicable reason, it _did_ matter.

The mission was unsalvageable. The target was inaccessible. Gaara could see now that pursuing it any further would only end in failure. There was nothing more to say, nothing to be done. Gaara turned to go, and Neji didn't stop him.

It was still raining outside. Gaara absently noted that as he left the Hyuuga compound, though he didn't bother to find any cover. The sentries said nothing to him as he exited. Gaara headed back in the vague direction of his hotel, though he didn't much bother to look where he was going.

The pattering of rain on Gaara stopped abruptly as someone held an umbrella over his head. Gaara looked up from his feet to Naruto's smiling face.

"I doubt your sand shield can protect you from pneumonia," Naruto said. "Come inside and dry off before you get sick."

Gaara had never been sick before, and wasn't even sure if he could _get_ sick, but he followed Naruto out of the rain anyway. It seemed like a good alternative to returning to the hotel, and explaining to his siblings about the mission's failure. They'd expect him to pick a new target, and he just didn't know if he could do that.

Naruto's apartment was very different from the Hyuuga home. None of the furniture matched, and most of it looked to be worn-out. Photos of Naruto and his friends were tacked up on the walls haphazardly. A pan had been placed on the floor to catch the water leaking from the ceiling.

"Ya hungry?" Naruto asked. "I've got some instant ramen…"

"I don't like ramen."

"Since you're my friend, I'm going to pretend you never said that." Naruto didn't so much sit as flop down onto one of the overstuffed chairs in the living room. "Want to tell me why you were out moping in the rain?"

"I wasn't moping."

"You're right; sulking probably would be a better word for it." Naruto blatantly ignored Gaara's glower. "Does this have something to do with Neji?"

It had everything to do with Neji. "He's getting married," Gaara said simply. "To his cousin, Hanabi."

"No way!" Naruto leapt up from his seat. "You're not going to let him, are you?"

"Why shouldn't I? It has nothing to do with me." Not anymore. Neji had made that clear enough.

"Like hell it doesn't," said Naruto. "You're in love with him."

Gaara fixed a glare on Naruto, one that made most everyone in his home village cower in fear. Naruto, of course, was immune. "I keep telling everyone, I don't love him."

"Do too," Naruto countered. "I was there when you went all demon, just because you thought he'd gotten injured, remember? You're totally ga-ga over the guy, admit it."

Gaara was not familiar with the term "ga-ga," but whatever it meant, he wasn't. "That was an accident. It doesn't mean I love him. I don't."

"You so do!"

"I do _not_." Gaara's voice rose, and the sand hissed in its gourd, sensing Gaara's agitation.

Only Naruto could be so totally oblivious to the danger he was provoking. "Do too, do too, do too!"

"_Let me crush him,"_ Shukaku begged. "_Please? Just a little bit? I'll only break half of his ribs, I promise."_

There was a short knock at the door, then whoever it was let themselves in. "Naruto, you home?" Gaara vaguely recognized the voice, but couldn't quite place it. Someone he'd met at the chuunin exams…

Naruto brightened with excitement, rushing to the entryway to greet them. "You wait here," he called back at Gaara over his shoulder. "We'll continue this in a sec."

"_Not if he wants to live,"_ Shukaku grumbled. "_Go out the window before he gets back. I'm sick of listening to his idiocy."_

"Shikamaru!" Naruto's voice carried from the other room. "Tell Gaara he's in denial."

"_You_ tell him," was Shikamaru's immediate reply.

"I _did_ tell him," Naruto said. "He doesn't believe me!"

Shikamaru, was it? That was interesting. Gaara didn't remember much about him, except that he had managed to defeat Temari in the chuunin exam finals, and that every time Gaara had seen Shikamaru outside of the arena, he had been with Naruto. They had been children then, but they were older now. Perhaps this Shikamaru was Naruto's secret boyfriend?

"Sounds smart to me. I wouldn't believe you, either," Shikamaru was saying. "Hey, don't give me that face. I just got here, and I have no idea what you're babbling about."

Gaara heard Naruto make some sound of exasperation. "Gaara's in the other room, and he's depressed."

"No kidding?" Shikamaru said. "How unusual."

Naruto either didn't catch the sarcasm, or he ignored it. "I keep telling him he's in love with Neji, but he keeps saying he's not."

"Well, maybe he isn't."

"He is! I know he is, and he's going to make himself miserable if he won't own up to it," said Naruto. "Help me convince him."

"No way, I am not getting dragged into some stupid matchmaking scheme of yours," said Shikamaru. "Remember when you were trying to set up Lee and Hinata?"

"Hey, it worked, didn't it?"

"Half the village ended up covered in shaving cream."

"That was an accident," said Naruto. "Besides, it was fun. And Lee and Hinata _did_ end up dating."

"I'm not helping with this one. Too troublesome."

Naruto was silent a moment. Then, "I'll do that thing you like."

"You did that yesterday."

"The other thing," Naruto said. "With the clones."

"…How many clones?"

"Three."

"Five," Shikamaru countered.

"Deal!"

Shikamaru sighed. "Fine. But I still think this is lame." He wandered into the room where Gaara was waiting, shrugging off his jounin vest and tossing it over the arm of a chair, before taking a seat. "Naruto thinks you're in love with Neji. Are you?"

"No."

Shikamaru nodded slowly. "Maybe you'd better start from the beginning."

So Gaara did. He told him about how his brother and sister had all but begged him to find a date, and how Gaara had picked Neji out of the crowds. He told about his first date, and looking at the stars with Neji. He told about sneaking into the Forest of Death, and Neji's acceptance of the monster within Gaara, and the creature killing spree that had followed. He told about almost letting Shukaku loose when Neji had come back from his mission all bloody, about kissing Neji for the first time, about discovering Neji was engaged. He told about how Neji had known all along that Gaara couldn't love him, and choosing him because of it. And when he had finished telling everything, Shikamaru just sat back and looked thoughtful.

"Well," said Shikamaru, "sounds like love to me."

"I don't love him," Gaara said. "I _can't_ love him."

"You just spent the last," Shikamaru glanced at the clock, "hour talking about nothing but Neji. Sounds like you spent the last couple days thinking of nothing but him. You're pissed at his family for trying to breed him like an animal, and you're hurt that he doesn't see you as anything but a casual fling. Your sand has the hots for him, and your demon alternately wants to mate him, maim him, or kill for him."

"…is that love?"

"If it isn't, it's a good imitation. Though," Shikamaru said thoughtfully, "I've never really pegged you for the type to do anything part way. It's all or nothing for you. I think this is the real deal."

"I… love him?" It was strange to say the words, strange to feel his heart flutter when he said it. The sand sighed in its gourd, hopeful, lovesick. "I love him."

Gaara closed his eyes and fought against the rising flood of emotion, the proof to his words. He was in love. And he was doomed.


	8. Chapter 8

Gaara didn't stay the night at Naruto's. Naruto had invited him to, saying that he didn't think Gaara ought to spend the night alone. Shukaku had a fit of laughter over that, apparently finding some innuendo in the statement that Gaara had missed. Though it was late, and still raining out, Gaara headed back to the hotel. The sand spilled from the gourd and formed an arch over his head, keeping him dry on the walk.

Despite what Naruto said, Gaara wanted to spend the night alone. He had a lot he wanted to think about. Well, that wasn't exactly true; he didn't _want_ to keep thinking about these things, but since they continued to plague his mind, it was probably best if he were alone to dwell on them. He didn't think he could take any more of Naruto's enthused helpfulness, or Shikamaru's blunt and painfully accurate insights.

So this was love. As he had expected, Gaara found he didn't like it much. This was definitely a stupid idea on Temari and Kankuro's part. They had said that love would make Gaara happy. Shows what they knew. Gaara was _not_ happy.

"_I know what will make you feel better,"_ Shukaku offered.

"Does it have anything to do with killing someone?" Gaara asked.

"…_maybe."_

"Not interested."

Shukaku huffed in exasperation. "_Well, you're going to have to do something. You can't spend the rest of your life depressed."_

"Sure I can." Gaara entered the hotel, calling the sand back into the gourd to keep from making any other patrons of the hotel nervous. Not that it mattered; it was late enough for everyone to be in bed, and the main lobby of the hotel was deserted. Gaara climbed up the stairs to his room.

"_The next time I get stuck in some mortal's head, it's going to be somebody with more personality,"_ Shukaku muttered.

"Would you prefer Naruto? Maybe he and I could trade."

There was a moment of silence from the demon. Then, "_You're mean."_

"I had a good teacher," Gaara muttered. He paused outside of the door to his hotel room, listening to the whisperings of the sand in the gourd; it sensed someone in the room. But it didn't sound agitated, so whoever it was wasn't a threat. Gaara went inside without knocking (it was _his_ room, after all), startling Kankuro, who had been staring out the window.

"Uh, hey Gaara," Kankuro greeted. "Temari and I weren't sure if you were coming back tonight, but I figured I'd wait up for you in case you did… Haven't seen you around much lately, which is fine, but we were just wondering… how things were going?"

Kankuro sometimes tended to babble when talking to his little brother. Though Kankuro was a skilled shinobi, who could take on dangerous, life-threatening missions on a daily basis, it was only around Gaara that Kankuro showed any signs of nervousness.

"We'll be going home tomorrow," Gaara announced after letting the silence stretch. "Be ready to leave early."

"Leave?" Kankuro blinked. "Already? We still have a few days left. Temari said… she thought things were going well between you and Neji."

"They aren't. It's over. Tomorrow we'll leave." When Kankuro just stared at him, Gaara added, "Go back to your room."

"No." Kankuro looked as surprised by his refusal as Gaara felt. Kankuro never told Gaara "no." Kankuro quickly hurried on before he lost his nerve. "Look, Gaara… what you're saying doesn't make any sense. For days, things seem to be going great, and all of a sudden, it's over and you want to leave? It's not like you to give up."

"I'm not giving up," Gaara said, irritated that Kankuro would even suggest that he was. This was a strategic retreat. "There's just no point in continuing this stupidity. Neji doesn't want me."

"Do you want him?"

"What I want doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters," Kankuro said. "That's what this whole thing has been about! Finding something you want, something that will make you happy."

"I've found something I want," Gaara said. "It doesn't make me happy, though. I can't have him."

"Hmm." For some reason, Kankuro smiled, very slightly. "Have you told Neji you love him?"

"No," Gaara said. How was it _everyone_ could tell he was in love? It's not like it was tattooed on his forehead. "I'm not going to, either. Tomorrow, we're leaving. That's an order."

Kankuro held his hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright. You're the Kazekage, I'm just your brother. We'll leave first thing tomorrow, if that's what you want." He shrugged, and headed for the door.

"Do you think I'm running away?"

Kankuro paused in the doorway. "Yep."

Kankuro's answer should have made Gaara angry, but he was right. Gaara was running. He was hurt, and his first instinct was to run home to hide. Wait for the hurt to go away. He knew that was stupid; the hurt never went away. But… "I don't know what else to do."

"Talk to Neji tomorrow," Kankuro said. "Tell him you love him. See what happens. If you still want to leave after that, we'll leave."

"If you love someone, they hurt you," Gaara said, his voice soft, but certain.

"You can't avoid everything just because it might hurt you, Gaara. You'll never get anything you want that way," Kankuro said. "Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. See you in the morning." He walked out, and closed the door behind him.

"…_I don't suppose an offer to kill him would be much appreciated?"_ Shukaku finally said into the silence that was left.

Gaara said nothing to the demon, unslinging the gourd from his back and setting it down carefully, before lying down in the bed to stare at the ceiling.

"_Oh goodie,"_ Shukaku muttered, voice laden with sarcasm. "_An all-night marathon of counting ceiling tiles. My favorite. This is _so _much better than mass destruction."_

"Just this once, could you shut up for a few hours and let me think?"

"_Well I would, but your definition of 'thinking' means 'wallowing in broody misery," _Shukaku said. ­­"_Do you even hear yourself when you think? It's so boring!"_­

"If you want entertainment, I could go back and talk with Naruto some more. Maybe he'll explain what it was Shikamaru wanted to do with the clones. He might let us watch."

"_Did I happen to mention that you're mean?"_

"You did."

"_Well. Still true."_

_x.x.x_

The night passed with excruciating slowness. Shukaku had obviously taken the threat of inflicting Naruto on him seriously, and had spent the night in silence, even in the early hours in the morning when Gaara would have given anything to have something distract him from his thoughts. His thoughts had run in circles all night, giving him no relief. Gaara had stalked down to breakfast the moment the sun broke over the horizon, despite the fact that most of the hotel staff was not awake and there was no breakfast to be had yet. Temari and Kankuro were not up yet either, and the only thing keeping Gaara from going to wake them was the knowledge that in his foul mood, he would more than likely hurt them.

"_Don't even say it,"_ Gaara commanded Shukaku, when he felt the demon would comment. "_Mangling my siblings would not make me feel better, no matter what you think."_

Shukaku let out a huff. "_How did you know I was going to say that?"_

"_Because you_ always _think I should kill someone."_

"_Well, it's good stress relief. Crushing people into an oozing pulp always made me feel better. You used to enjoy it too, if you recall. Don't try and deny it," _Shukaku said. ­"_I was there; I feel some of what you feel."_

"_And I feel what you feel,"_ Gaara said. "_We both liked it. We were both monsters."_

"_You say that like it's a bad thing. We had a good time, you and I. And you felt more alive then than you ever do now."_

Gaara ignored that, because Shukaku was right. Gaara had killed because it made him feel alive. To take the life of another was a rush, making the blood pound in Gaara's veins. He no longer killed, and he knew he was better for it. He missed it though. Not the killing so much, but the feeling it gave him. Only one other thing had ever come close to what he felt when he killed.

"_If you think kissing Neji made you feel alive,"_ Shukaku said, "_you should see what sex with him is like."_

"_If you don't have anything useful to say, you can go back to giving me the silent treatment."_

"_Fine. Sheesh, try to be helpful, and nobody ever appreciates it…"_

Shukaku fell back into sulky silence, and Gaara tried to relax. All the sleepless nights and recent stress was taking its toll; he'd have to head home soon, and attempt to nap without letting all hell break loose.

As the hours passed, the lobby and eating areas of the hotel gradually filled with patrons, and breakfast was served. Gaara ate more to have something to do, rather than out of hunger. When the food was gone he was bored again, but the waitress was a timid little thing, and had been scared enough of Gaara for him to want to call her back and frighten her more.

Temari and Kankuro came down for their own breakfast sometime later, and the timid waitress returned, seeming a bit calmer now that Gaara had his "keepers" there who would, presumably, be able to control him. After the waitress left to fetch their order, Temari turned to Gaara.

"Kankuro said you want to go home today," Temari stated. "It's awfully sudden. Did you and Neji have an argument?"

"We didn't argue," Gaara said. "He just doesn't like me as much as I thought he did. And he's getting married to his cousin."

"Married?!" Kankuro said. "You didn't tell me that-"

"…um… Gaara? Sir?"

Gaara, Temari and Kankuro all looked up when the soft, timid little voice interrupted their conversation. Hinata was standing there, flushed and fidgeting slightly, and looking like she'd prefer to be anywhere but here.

"Yes?" Gaara finally said, mostly to prompt her to continue, as she didn't seem to know what to say next.

"…is… is Neji here with you?" she finally blurted out.

Gaara tensed, and he could hear that the sand had similarly ceased all movement in the gourd. "No…" he said slowly. "What makes you think he'd be here?"

The undertone of anger in his voice made Hinata stammer more, but she forged on as best she could. "…The… the elders of our clan, they wanted to… speak to him, first thing this morning. But he… wasn't in his room. Nobody saw him leave, and… nobody can find him. I thought… he might have come here."

"He's not here," Gaara said. He stood up, and Hinata flinched like he might hit her. "I think I may know where he is, though. I'll go get him."

"Um… um… maybe… I should go… with you?" Hinata suggested.

Gaara ignored her, and headed for the door. He could hear his sister behind him, quietly telling Hinata it was probably better that she return home, and wait for Gaara to bring Neji. Hinata must have taken the advice, for she didn't follow him. She was probably grateful for the excuse not to.

As Gaara avoided the guards and slipped quietly into the Forest of Death, he wondered if Neji had spent the whole night out here, after Gaara had left him. He had no doubt that he would find Neji here, and ten minutes after entering the forest, Gaara found the first creature corpse, a twenty-foot-long centipede with a kunai buried in its head. There was a trail of dead things, leading deeper into the woods. Neji hadn't even bothered hiding his presence.

He found Neji sitting high up in a tree. Neji glanced at him briefly as Gaara sat on the branch beside him, then went back to apparently staring down at the ground, as if it held some secret that Neji was waiting for it to give up.

"I knew you'd be the only one to think to look for me here," Neji finally said, when Gaara didn't speak. "I didn't think you would come, though."

"Your family is waiting for you," Gaara said, when he could think of nothing else to say.

"I don't care." Something rustled through the bushes far below them, and with a movement almost too fast to follow, Neji tossed a kunai down at it. The movement looked careless, but there was a shriek swiftly cut short, as whatever it was died.

"You're upset," Gaara stated. This confused him. When he had left last night, Neji had been resigned. Gaara was the one who had been hurt; why was Neji angry now? "What has made you upset?"

"Who put you up to asking me out?" Neji asked, instead of answering Gaara's question.

"Temari and Kankuro," Gaara said. "They thought if I had a girlfriend, it would make me happy. So I went along with their idea, this… mission, and picked you out of the crowd to be the target. But I wasn't going to love you. And then you showed me the stars, and accepted my demon, and kissed me, and I couldn't stop myself."

Neji blinked at him, giving a small, wry smile. "You love me?"

Gaara hesitated only a second before he nodded in agreement. "I love you."

Neji laughed softly, his dark mood seeming to dissipate. "It is a familiar story. I have one like it. When you asked me out, I figured it was probably your siblings that had set you up to it. But so long as you were asking, I figured I would take advantage and get what I wanted; a brief but happy memory to keep me company through a loveless marriage. But I wasn't going to love you, when I knew you wouldn't love me. But then you were so… awkward on our date, but sweet in your own way. You worried about me when I went out on a mission, and gave me a present that made me feel like you cared, and you kissed me first. And I just… couldn't help myself."

Gaara took a deep breath, hardly daring to believe what he heard. "You… love me?"

Neji nodded, and smiled at him. "I love you."

"You love me," Gaara whispered, marveling at the words, at the way his heart thrummed in pleasure at the knowledge. He was loved. Neji loved him. Gaara reached out and touched Neji's cheek, and Neji mirrored the action, trailing his fingertips down Gaara's skin. Gaara felt breathless and thrilled, almost dizzy. Belatedly, he realized he was smiling. So this was what happiness felt like. It really did feel good.

Neji leaned closer to kiss him, softly and sweet and altogether too short, before he drew back. Gaara could tell he was going to say something that would put a damper on this new and fragile happiness, so he didn't give him the chance. Neji was distracted enough when the sand poured from the gourd with a sigh, collecting around them, forming a soft nest to cushion them from the rough bark of the tree. Anything Neji was about to say was quickly muffled by Gaara kissing him.

Kissing Neji was as good as Gaara remembered. Neji was so warm, and Gaara could feel his own body heat rise, his pulse quickening. Gaara's hands somehow found the tie that held back Neji's hair, pulling it free. Neji's hair was softer than Gaara had even imagined, and he ran his fingers through the silky strands. He was delighted to discover that Neji seemed to like that very much. It was sweet, so sweet to be close to this person, to hold him and to kiss him. So sweet that Gaara did not immediately recognize the ache within himself for what it was.

It wasn't enough, this gently sweet, limited contact. Gaara, starved for touch and for love since childhood, wanted- _needed_ more. He needed to feel Neji's skin, all of him, everywhere. He wanted to feel Neji within him, until he couldn't discern where one of them ended and the other began. He wanted every cell in his body to resonate with this feeling, this knowledge that he was loved. At that moment, it felt like every pain in his life, all the loneliness, everything he'd gone through had been leading to this moment, this chance at love, to be truly whole.

Just as Gaara started to seriously consider the things he craved and how to get them, Neji drew back, as if in hesitation.

"Gaara," Neji said, with obvious regret. "This… the way we feel… it doesn't change anything. I'll still have to be married to Hanabi. Probably soon, now that my clan's elders have realized you have an interest in me."

"I don't care," Gaara said. "I know what I want now. Make me feel alive, Neji. Even if it's only this one time."

Neji's smiled, touching Gaara's cheek, then letting his fingertips trail over the line of his jaw, down his neck, watching the way Gaara shivered at the contact. "This is what you want? Do you even know what you're asking for?"

"I know," Gaara said. "I want it all. Everything you can give me."

Neji said nothing, but his kiss was answer enough. Gaara lay back on the cushioning mattress the sands had made for them, holding Neji to him, and just feeling. The strange and wonderful new emotions, combined with just as unfamiliar physical sensation left Gaara breathless, trembling with want for things he couldn't name. The chill of the forest air on his skin as his shirt was pulled up and off didn't seem to help cool him down any. As Neji contemplated the expanse of freshly exposed skin, one finger idly tracing over Gaara's collarbone, Gaara found that the heat only seemed to get worse.

The sand shivered under Gaara suddenly, a response to a sudden surge of chakra. Surprised, Gaara met Neji's gaze. Neji's eyes seemed to glow, burning with some inner fire, intense and uncompromising. The activated byakugan made Neji's eyes gleam like jewels, and Gaara shivered despite the heat. Under that gaze, Gaara felt completely exposed, vulnerable, and inexplicably excited.

"What are you doing?" Gaara said, and even to him his voice sounded shaky.

Neji's hand skimmed over Gaara's chest, not touching the skin. But Gaara could feel the touch of Neji's chakra like a caress, sensitizing every nerve ending. Gaara shivered, and the sand beneath them shivered with him. The world beyond this small bed of sand faded away, ceased to exist, as Gaara's whole perception narrowed down to the feel of Neji's chakra fluttering, teasing against his skin. Neji hadn't even touched him yet, and Gaara felt like he was coming apart.

Lightly, purposefully, Neji touched a finger to a spot just below Gaara's collarbone. Pleasure bloomed in that spot, radiating outward from the point of contact throughout Gaara's entire body. Gaara may have made some noise, may have cried out, but he didn't feel like he had enough breath to make a sound. Neji's fingers played gently downward, even the briefest touch evoking a stunning array of sensation. Gaara had never felt his own chakra burn like this, racing fast through the core of his being. His other senses became a blur- his vision was a hazy swirl of blending colors, and all sound was a meaningless whirr to his ears. All he knew was Neji's fingertips on his skin, Neji's chakra playing his own like a finely tuned instrument, his own hands grasping blindly at Neji's shoulders, desperate for something to hold on to.

Though Gaara was more than willing to give himself over completely to the moment, to the incredible feelings Neji evoked within him, something nagged insistently in his mind, a repeating thought or a voice that begged his attention, despite his attempts to ignore it.

"…_stop it…"_

Gaara frowned, some pleasure-fogged part of his brain trying to decipher the words. Stop it? Why? He didn't want Neji to stop, especially if Neji kept touching him- _oh gods_- there.

"…_stop it…"_ the voice begged insistently. "…_make him stop it…"_

He knew he should know the voice, but it was just so hard to place with Neji's touches driving him to distraction. It took him longer than it ought to put a name to the voice. "…_Shukaku?… what…?"_

"…_make him stop," _Shukaku pleaded, sounding frantic, breathless. "…_it's too much… I can't… damn!"_ The demon made a strange cry, almost like it were in pain, and Gaara's vision went white. Shukaku's chakra poured forth in an unrestrained tidal wave, burning through Gaara once before receding.

Gaara's vision cleared slowly, his thoughts carefully gathering again after Shukaku's outburst had splintered them. Dimly he could hear Shukaku's heavy breathing- a mental reflex, Gaara knew, since the demon didn't actually need to breathe. "_Shukaku? What happened to you?"_

"…_mmm…"_ said the demon, part moan, part purr, pure exhaustion. "…_you're not the only one who never gets touched around here, you know."_

"…_oh. Oh!"_ Gaara had given no thought as to how this sort of activity would affect the demon. Shukaku felt nothing of what happened to Gaara's physical form, experiencing it only secondhand, through Gaara's perception. But Neji had the ability to see the flow of chakra in a being, and to _touch_ and affect that flow. Shukaku had felt that, really _felt_ it, just as Gaara had. No wonder the demon had been overwhelmed. "_Are you going to be okay?"_

The demon said nothing.

"_Shukaku?"_

Still, the demon said nothing. And then… it began to snore.

_Shukaku was asleep._

"Gaara?"

Gaara blinked, suddenly aware that Neji was no longer petting him with those sinfully sweet touches, and was now just watching him with a look of mild confusion and concern. Impulsively, Gaara pulled Neji close, hugging him. Neji's hands slowly resumed their gentle petting, though his chakra no longer enhanced each touch to a fevered pitch. Still, Gaara reveled in every light touch, the littlest caress. Gaara's nerves were still tight and aching with unfulfilled desires. And he wasn't content to be passive any longer.

Their makeshift mattress let up little puffs of sand as Gaara reversed their positions, tumbling Neji beneath him. Neji looked startled, briefly, at the suddenness of being pinned. Gaara did nothing more than stare at Neji for several long moments. This was new to him, and he had very little idea on how to proceed. A great deal of hands-on experimentation would probably be necessary. That being the case, Gaara decided, they were probably both wearing too many clothes.

Neji shifted to help accommodate his efforts as Gaara decisively tugged Neji's shirt off. Neji's skin was smooth and deliciously warm under Gaara's exploring touches. Gaara nuzzled at the crook of Neji's neck, and after a brief contemplation, gently bit at the skin. Neji's whole body shivered against him, and Gaara smiled. That was a good start.

Neji's skillful ministrations and teasing touches had nearly driven Gaara over the edge with wanting. Neji made Gaara feel alive. Gaara decided it was time to return the favor.

_x.x.x_


	9. Chapter 9

One of the great things about being able to control sand, Gaara decided an hour or so later, was the ability to keep it from sticking to sweaty skin. He felt sated, and drowsy, and not at all inclined to move. At some point in their activities, he'd ended up under Neji again, and he found the position to be rather comfortable. Only the many years of training kept Gaara from simply drifting off to sleep here, cushioned by the sand and warmed by Neji.

Neji, however, seemed to have given over to exhaustion, and Gaara didn't attempt to wake him. Neji's family was still waiting for his return, probably very impatiently now, and Gaara was not yet ready to return Neji to them. He wanted to keep Neji to himself for just a little while longer. Once Neji returned to the Hyuuga household, he would no longer be Gaara's.

"_Not that he was really mine to begin with,"_ Gaara thought. Carefully he shifted out from under Neji, the sands shifting as well to make the move comfortable and keep from disturbing Neji's sleep. Gaara sat up, studying Neji's face. Like the rest of their clothing, Neji's Konoha headband had been tossed to the side somewhere, revealing the thin, elegant lines of his curse seal.

Gaara had heard Neji explain the curse seal and its purpose to Naruto during the chuunin exam finals, though at the time of course, Gaara had not found the information to be pressingly important. Neji's family had placed that mark on him, in order to control him. To kill him, if it became necessary, if Neji were to betray them.

"_You're lucky your family never thought to put a seal like that on you,"_ Shukaku commented. "_Not that I would have let them."_

"_When did you wake up?"_ Gaara asked.

"_Just now,"_ the demon assured him. "_Looks like I missed all the good stuff, too. So how was he? He must have been good, since he seems to still be in one piece… Come on, kid, I want details. Every touch, every moan, every scream."_

"_It's none of your business."_ Just because Shukaku took up residence in Gaara's mind, didn't mean Gaara was going to discuss the details of his sex life with the demon.

Shukaku huffed in annoyance. "_Fine, be that way. But you're not getting rid of me so easily the next time you two do it."_

"_There isn't going to be a next time,"_ Gaara said. "_When he wakes, we'll return him to the Hyuuga household. And then we're going home."_

Shukaku was silent for a long moment. Then he said softly, seriously, "_We can't leave him here."_

"_We have to. He's not ours."_

"_Like hell he isn't. You've laid claiming marks on him. Your scent is all over him, and the sands smell of your mating. And you bit him," _Shukaku pointed out.

Gaara glanced at Neji's bare shoulder, where a half-ring of teeth marks stood out an angry red against the paleness of Neji's skin. Gaara only vaguely remembered biting Neji in the heat of the moment- Neji hadn't seemed to mind at the time. The bite hadn't broken the skin; even as Gaara watched, the mark was starting to fade. "_Temporary marks. They'll soon be gone. That's the only way he was ever mine- temporarily."_

Gaara's fingertips gently traced over the one mark that was permanent on Neji's skin, and it wasn't one he had made. The curse seal on Neji's forehead was graceful and beautiful in design, but Gaara couldn't help but want to erase it.

Neji shifted a little at the touch, opening his eyes. Gaara quickly pulled his hand back, unsure that Neji would appreciate having the seal touched. Likely it represented a host of unpleasant memories.

Neji sat up, studying Gaara with thoughtful intensity. Finally he said, "I like yours better."

He reached out to touch Gaara's kanji, and Gaara didn't even flinch this time. Oddly enough, Gaara found it didn't bother him when Neji touched it. When Gaara had made the mark on himself as a child, he hated it. Love was not something to be admired, not after what it had done to him. He was feeling more favorable toward it now. After being with Neji, the kanji for love represented something more positive.

"Shukaku thinks I should mark you," Gaara said quietly.

"Does he now?" Neji murmured, smiling faintly. "And what do you think?"

"Shukaku is an animal at heart," Gaara said. "He thinks that the act of marking is something finite, the establishing of definite territory. With my scent on you, with my _mark_, he thinks that would just decide everything, and you'd be mine, undisputed. I know it isn't that simple. It holds a certain appeal, though. Leaving a token to remind everyone that once, if only once, you were mine."

"If that's an offer," Neji said, his voice soft but serious, "I agree with Shukaku as well." His fingertips traced the lines of the kanji again, feeling their subtle texture- it was a scar, not a real tattoo, after all. "I want a mark just like this. To remind me I was yours once, if only once. And perhaps to remind my family that though I bow to their demands… you were my first choice."

"It'll hurt," Gaara warned.

That made Neji smile. "I wouldn't be much of a shinobi if I couldn't withstand a little pain, now would I?"

Gaara nodded, calling up a measure of sand from the mass. "Close your eyes." Gaara wasn't sure he could do this if Neji were watching him. Neji obligingly closed his eyes, holding carefully still. Gaara took a deep breath, and let the sand strike.

Neji didn't cry out, didn't even move as the sand made precise, deep cuts into his skin. It was over in a moment, and the sand fell away. The mark was smeared with blood- the sand brought up Gaara's discarded shirt, and Gaara ripped a piece of the hem off to carefully wipe the blood away. The kanji for love stood out in lived redness on Neji's forehead, in the same place as it was on Gaara's. It's bloody color made Neji's curse seal look pale, fragile.

Neji touched the spot carefully, smiling when his fingertips came away dotted with blood. "Thank you, Gaara." He sighed, looking up through the treetops at where the sunlight glinted though the thick canopy of leaves. "As much as I'd like to stay here forever, it's getting late."

Gaara nodded. "I did tell Hinata I'd bring you home. They may have started the search for you again, we've been out long enough."

Neji stretched, a graceful cat-like gesture that had Gaara's body temperature rising with renewed desires. Before slipping off the branch to retrieve their scattered clothing, Neji kissed Gaara, one last time. "No matter what happens after this," Neji said, "I regret nothing that happened here."

Gaara followed after with some reluctance, calling the sand back into its gourd, and gathering up the wayward clothing strewn over various branches. Various articles took somewhat longer to track down; neither of them had been paying that much attention to where things were getting tossed. At last they were both dressed again, and Neji tied his headband back on, covering both the curse seal and the kanji. They left the forest in silence, taking as much time as they dared in returning to the Hyuuga home.

"Neji," Gaara said, as the gates of the Hyuuga complex came into view. "If things turned out differently… if you didn't have to marry Hanabi, if you were given the _choice_… would you come back to Suna with me?"

"Yes," Neji answered, after only a brief hesitation. "I would… miss it here. My family is here, and despite everything, I care for them. My teammates are here, and it would be near impossible to replace them. But if I were allowed to choose, I would come with you."

Gaara nodded. "Let me talk to your elders."

"Gaara…"

"Please," Gaara said. "I don't want to give you up. I thought just one time with you would be enough. But you make me feel alive like nothing else ever has, and I just can't go back to having… nothing."

Neji let out a faint sigh. "I don't know that it will do much good, but you can talk to them if you want. You are the Kazekage, maybe they'll listen to you."

"_And if they won't,"_ Shukaku said, "_can we kill them?"_

"_No, Shukaku." _

Hinata was standing outside the gate as the two walked up, and she was clearly relieved to see them. "Thank goodness you're here!" The gate opened, and Hinata did her best to hurry them inside. "The elders… when no one could find you, they were in such a bad mood…"

No one impeded them as they passed through the halls of the main house of the Hyuuga family; in fact, most everyone seemed to hurry out of their path. Neji ignored all of them, his gaze fixed determinedly ahead, his expression one of a shinobi just before battle.

Two of Neji's family members waited for them outside the doors to the meeting all. "Go on in. They've been waiting for you," one of them informed Neji, in a tone that clearly said, "what took you so long?"

The door was opened, and Neji stepped inside. When Gaara moved to follow, the two guards blocked his path. He looked up at them with his best glare, and though it clearly made them uneasy, they did not move.

"We're very sorry, Lord Kazekage," one of them said, "but this is a private meeting. For the Hyuuga family only."

"I wish to speak to your clan's elders," Gaara said, in a tone that promised them pain if they refused him.

"We're _very_ sorry," the guard reiterated. "We can't let you pass. You can speak to the elders once their meeting is finished."

The sand hissed angrily in the gourd, but Neji's voice calmed them. "Please, Gaara. I'm sure this won't take too long."

Though part of him still itched to crush both guards into a fine paste, Gaara finally stepped back, acquiescing to wait until the meeting was finished. Both guards were obviously relieved they would not be forced to fight him. The door to the meeting hall was closed, and Gaara waited.

He could hear nothing of the meeting going on within, and as the minutes stretched out into an hour, he began to regret agreeing to wait outside. Just as he was contemplating performing some jutsu to allow him a peek at the proceedings, the door opened, and Neji emerged.

Proud Neji had his head down, and he didn't even look at Gaara. "I'm sorry, Gaara," he murmured as he passed by him. "It's too late." He said nothing more, and kept on walking down the hallway, leaving Gaara staring after him in shock. He took a step to follow, to demand an explanation, when the guards at the door called him back.

"The elders will see you now."

Quite determined to figure out what had upset Neji so, Gaara stalked into the meeting room, ignoring the Hyuuga clan elders' offer of a chair to sit in.

All the Hyuuga elders bore the gleaming opal eyes that were the standard of the family. The assembly was mostly aged men, their long hair white, and Gaara suspected that some of the white eyes that stared at him might truly be blind. Among those whose seating suggested the highest authority was a somewhat younger man, his long hair and vibrant eyes very reminiscent of Neji's. Beside him sat a young girl- Hanabi, Gaara assumed. The man must be the uncle Neji had told him of, Hiashi.

"Lord Kazekage," one of the elders greeted him. "It is an honor that you have graced our humble clan hall. Might we inquire as to the nature of your visit?"

Gaara forced himself to relax, to speak respectfully, as would befit the Kazekage. The last thing they needed here was a diplomatic incident. "Venerated elders of the esteemed Hyuuga clan… I've come here to propose an alliance between Konoha and Suna, an alliance between myself and Neji Hyuuga. If it meets with your approval, I wish for him to come back with me."

The elders hardly looked stunned by his request, and Gaara suspected they had been expecting it, and had already decided on the matter. His suspicion was confirmed, when only a token discussion between the elders took place before they gave their answer.

"Though it is a very gracious offer, Lord Kazekage, we regret to inform you that Neji Hyuuga has already been promised in marriage to another. The official engagement between Neji Hyuuga and Hanabi Hyuuga was declared only moments ago. Please accept our deepest apologies."

"Neji doesn't want to marry her," Gaara said, giving up any pretense of politeness. "He wants to be with me. If Neji is nothing more but a pawn to you…" The sand grated and hissed in the gourd, adding to the implied threat.

The elders' cold eyes regarded him with clear disdain. "Lord Kazekage, we have welcomed you into our clan home because Konoha and Suna are currently at peace. We have listened to your offer out of respect for your position. But this is not your country, and you have no authority here. We do regret that we could not agree to your request. We believe it would be in everyone's best interest- including Neji Hyuuga's- if you accept that graciously."

"Furthermore," another of the elder's added, "we must respectfully request that you cease your courting of Neji Hyuuga. With his upcoming marriage, it may be better if you didn't see him anymore at all."

"_Kill them,"_ Shukaku hissed. "_Crush them to pulp. Color the walls with their blood. Destroy their worthless little lives, and wipe out their pathetic clan. Kill them all, and take Neji for yourself. How dare they make demands of you!"_

So tempting. A bloodbath would be so much easier than diplomacy. It would be so easy to give into Shukaku's urgings, and Gaara wanted to. He wanted to kill these arrogant bastards more than he'd wanted to kill anyone in a long while. But they were Neji's family, and they held control over his life. Only that prevented the slaughter, forced Gaara to make a stiff, polite bow, and stalk out of the room without further comment.

Gaara passed through the halls of the Hyuuga complex, intent on finding Neji, seeing him again, no matter what the elders said. The other members of Neji's family were quick to get out of his way and let him pass.

He'd not yet made it to Neji's room when a voice called him back. "Lord Kazekage?"

Gaara turned, scowling at the younger man that had been at the meeting, whom he assumed to be Hanabi's father, Neji's uncle. He was in no mood to be diplomatic anymore, so whatever this was about, it had better be good.

"Lord Kazekage… if I might speak to you?"

"Make it quick."

Neji's uncle stepped into a nearby room, and after a moment Gaara followed, watching as the man closed the door and checked to make sure the room would be secure and private.

"What is this about?" Gaara finally inquired.

"Though I understand that you may be tempted," Hiashi said, "it would be very unwise to attempt to kidnap Neji."

Gaara stared at him. "What makes you think I was going to try?" He _had_ been planning to try, of course. That wasn't the point.

"Almost everyone at that meeting expects you to try," Hiashi said. "Even Neji half expects it. And I want you to know, it would be a bad idea."

"Why?"

The man regarded him with cold, assessing eyes. "When Neji addressed the council, he made it very clear that he does not want to marry Hanabi. We knew that already, of course. What surprised all of the elders, however, was when Neji expressed a desire to _leave_, move to Suna… with you. They found that entirely unacceptable, as you may have noticed."

"I noticed." It had been hard to miss.

"My point is, if Neji were to disappear now, after the elders have expressly forbidden him to be with you, they would assume he had betrayed the family. He would be killed." Neji's uncle regarded him seriously. "Neji wears the curse seal of the Branch Family. If Neji was declared a traitor, that seal would be activated. There would be nothing you could do, except watch him die."

"Are you telling me to leave him, then?" Gaara demanded. He could hear the sand rushing in the gourd, itching to be released, to kill. "Just give in to the whims of your elders, and never see him again?"

"I'm not saying that."

"Then get to the point."

"As you like." Hiashi smiled faintly, as if relishing a secret. "We of the Hyuuga clan tend to be… somewhat arrogant. Very secure in the knowledge of our own power. And you, mighty Kazekage, have become tame. The locals may still fear you from your reputation, but we have all seen that you've changed. You're not the monster you were. The elders do not fear you, and that is why they felt safe in declaring Neji off-limits to you. There is no way now for you to take Neji, without causing Neji harm. But perhaps you could convince them to… trade him to you. If you were to have something- or someone- that they wanted in return. Or _returned_ to them."

A hostage. Someone the elders wanted _more_ than Neji- someone they could not manipulate with their curse seal. Like the little heir to the family. "Hanabi?"

"One pawn from the Branch family would be a small price to pay to have our heir returned…" Hiashi murmured, noncommittally.

"Why are you doing this?" Gaara demanded. "Why would you help me? It's _your_ clan."

"I owe Neji this much at least," Hiashi said. "I owe my life to Neji's father, my brother, who died in my stead. He went willingly to his death, because it meant he would finally be free from this family and their rigid control over his life. And if Neji were to remain here, he too would one day willingly give up his life, just to escape us. And I would have to live with the knowledge that I played some part in driving him to his death, just as I had driven my brother to his."

Gaara was silent a long moment, the only sound in the room the gentle hiss of the sand in the gourd, until it too had settled. In the new silence, Gaara declared, "I'm going back to Suna today. That should please your elders."

Hiashi gave a short nod.

"Tell Neji I'll be back for him," Gaara said. "And don't let him get married in the meantime." Without waiting for a reply, Gaara turned and left the room. He strode with long even strides out of the Hyuuga household, not even sparing a glace for those that paused in the hallways to stare at him as he passed.

Once he was safely out of sight of the complex, Gaara started to run.

Both Temari and Kankuro were waiting for him in his room at the hotel, looking expectant. And a little disturbed, when they saw that Gaara was grinning. It was the _way_ he was grinning, a this-is-going-to-be-bloody-and-vicious-and-_fun_ sort of grin.

"Uh, Gaara?" Kankuro finally said. "So… are we going home today, or aren't we?"

"We're going home," Gaara declared. "Long enough to gather every shinobi that will come. We're going to need an army."

"An army?" said Temari, looking bewildered. "What for?"

"We're going to start a war."


	10. Chapter 10

Author's Note: Due to technical difficulties, this chapter may not load with the proper grammar. I also apologize for the false update's yesterday; the site only loaded half the chapter each time I tried, so I gave up and deleted it. I will attempt to fix this grammar problem when I'm less frustrated. Thank you for your understanding.

_.x.x.x_

It took a week of careful surveillance of the Hyuuga household before Gaara felt ready to proceed with his plan. Through a combination of well-placed spying jutsus, and a couple brief forays into the complex, Gaara had learned as much as he could about the state of the Hyuuga security, the layout of the buildings, and the routines of the many family members.

As far as anyone in Konoha knew, Gaara and his siblings had returned to Suna a month ago, and hadn't been back since. Gaara knew Naruto would have let him stay at his apartment if Gaara had asked, but Gaara preferred that no one in Konoha knew he was there. It was not an easy endeavor, to remain undetected in the midst of a ninja village, but Gaara had come across an unused, slightly damp, storage cellar under a little shop, which became his base of operations.

During his weeklong surveillance, Gaara saw Neji only a couple of times. Neji spent most of the week in his room, coming out only on occasion for meals, not speaking to any of his family, even when they tried talking to him. Not that any of them made any more than token attempts at conversation; from their half-hearted efforts, it was clear that Neji had been like this for a while, possibly since Gaara left. Of all of Neji's family, only Hinata came to visit Neji in his room. Lee and TenTen came by once as well. Though Neji let them in, their concerned expressions when they left suggested that the visit hadn't been what they'd hoped.

It was hard, watching Neji from a distance, not even able to let Neji know he was there. It would only be a little bit longer, Gaara silently promised Neji.

Night fell. There was no moon, and the shadows were thick. Gaara approached the Hyuuga complex with the utmost care, a thin layer of sand cushioning each step to make them silent. From his observations, Gaara knew that that there were… gaps in the security of the complex. The sentries on the western wall ended their shifts shortly after midnight, and the replacement shift wouldn't get there for nearly an hour later. Leaving a brief span of time in which an intruder could get in, take a hostage, and slip out again.

It had seemed like an odd oversight to Gaara, practically an invitation. Hiashi's doing? Though Hiashi had been the one to suggest this plan, Gaara was not sure how much he trusted the Hyuuga. Gaara was not going to relax his guard just because Hiashi appeared to be helping him. If the other Hyuugas managed to catch Gaara in the act, Hiashi could just as easily claim to have no part in the plan, and let Gaara take the fall.

When the first sentry shift took their leave, Gaara slipped inside the complex. Gaara's investigations had revealed several hiding places to utilize, and crawlspaces in the ceilings that led to easy access to several of the rooms, which Gaara was quick to take advantage of. There were more security gaps within the complex, carefully timed windows of opportunity in which Gaara could proceed without being seen.

The room that was his goal was in the very midst of the main house. It took more time than Gaara liked to access it; he would have to hurry in subduing the hostage and getting them out before the next shift of sentries took their places on the wall. He slipped into the room at last, taking it all in at a glance; only one occupant, tucked into bed and apparently asleep.

Gaara had left the gourd behind, it being too bulky to fit through the many crawlspaces Gaara had gone through. But the sand had come with him all the same, flowing wave that gathered closely around him, making only the softest of sounds as it moved, hardly detectable. After his carefully crafted entrance, Gaara didn't expect to need the sand to fight, though it was handy to have if the unforeseen occurred. Its main purpose on this mission was for the capture and transport of the hostage. She may be just a little girl, but Hanabi was a Hyuuga, and well trained in the many skills of her clan. Taking her prisoner would likely be no easy feat.

The sand hissed forward toward the bed, almost touching the coverlet when Hanabi spoke. It was the barest of whispers, but the sand tensed all the same, preparing for a fight if need be.

"Lord Kazekage?" Hanabi whispered. She sat up slowly and looked at him. Her Hyuuga eyes caught what little light there was in the room, reflecting it back with eerie luminescence. "I was told to expect you."

"By your father?" The sand was shivering, tense and ready to attack if Hanabi were to raise an alarm. Gaara held it in check, watching Hanabi as carefully as she regarded him.

Hanabi nodded, her fingers plucking idly at her bedcovers. "You came to take me away, so the elders will be forced to give you Neji. And he would marry you, instead of me."

Gaara heard the question within the statement. "That was the plan, yes."

"Okay then." Hanabi pushed her covers away. She was already dressed in serviceable traveling garments, and had hidden a small satchel of necessities under the blankets as well. "Please wait a moment while I get my shoes on."

Gaara watched, feeling a little stunned, as the Hyuuga girl quickly and silently tugged her shoes on, standing and smoothing the wrinkles in her clothes. "All right then," she whispered. "I'm ready to go."

The sand swirled around her once before slithering to gather by Gaara's side, letting out the softest of rustlings. Gaara got the impression it was laughing. When he'd come here tonight, he had not been expecting a to find his hostage willing to be captured.

"Which way did you come in?" Hanabi asked.

"West wall," Gaara said.

Hanabi nodded, shouldering her pack. "That's good. I know a shortcut."

Gaara frowned at her, carefully considering the wisdom of trusting his intended hostage. She seemed genuinely eager to help, and if she intended to betray him, it would be easiest to do it here, while he was in the midst of her clan's compound. She had obviously known he was coming, and could have prepared an ambush if she so desired. That seemed not to be the case, and so Gaara finally conceded to let her lead the way. The sand carefully placed a scroll on Hanabi's pillow, and Gaara and his captive took their leave.

It was easier getting out of the building than it was to get in. Hanabi did indeed know a shorter route than Gaara had taken, and with her byakugan, she could spot and easily avoid any members of her family that happened to be up this late.

"_You're just going to trust her?"_ Shukaku spoke up for the first time during this mission. _"It would be so easy for her to lead you into a trap."_

"_If she were going to, she would have already,"_ Gaara countered.

They were almost at the gate. Gaara paused when the sand hissed a warning, moments before Hanabi pointed to an indiscernible shadow hiding within a shadow.

"Father," Hanabi softly greeted, as the man stepped out of hiding.

The sand relaxed as Hiashi stepped out where they could see him, though Gaara was still on guard. As far as he could tell, it was only Hiashi out here, no sentries. And though Hiashi appeared unarmed, Gaara had been observing the Hyuuga household long enough to watch a few training sessions between the family members. None of those sessions included weaponry, but the techniques were no less deadly for lack of them.

"_Ha,"_ Shukaku scoffed. _"Not so certain this wasn't a trap now, are you?"_

"_I'm still not used to trusting people."_

Gaara watched Hiashi warily as the man approached. Hiashi's eyes gleamed with the same eerie luminescence as Hanabi's, and idly Gaara wondered if all the Hyuugas' eyes did that in the dark. The sand let Hiashi approach, but moved in front of Gaara and Hanabi protectively. Hiashi didn't attempt to pass it though, nor did he make any sort of move to attack.

"How nice to see you again, Lord Kazekage," Hiashi greeted, his voice low. "I assume my daughter will be kept safe while she is in your custody?"

"So long as she behaves," Gaara answered, just as quietly. He had no intention of hurting his hostage, of course. Unless it was necessary.

"Of course," Hiashi agreed. He smiled at Hanabi. "Be good while you're with Lord Kazekage, Hanabi. Don't get in his way, or pester his shinobi."

"I'll be a model prisoner," Hanabi assured him.

Hiashi nodded, then glanced over at the wall. "The sentries will be coming out here soon. I of course have seen nothing out of the ordinary tonight, but you'll want to hurry if you want the same to be said of them."

Though there was more that could be said, and certainly questions that Gaara wanted to ask, Hiashi was right; there was little time left. Gaara and Hanabi quickly took their leave of the complex, without even a glance back. The sand rushed along behind them, keeping guard in case they were followed. But no alarm was raised, and they encountered no one on the empty streets of Konoha. They stopped only once, at Gaara's cellar hideout to gather his gourd and small cache of supplies, before they were racing toward the village gates. Though Hanabi was younger than Gaara, she kept up remarkably well with his fast pace, and her skills at stealth were as admirable as one would expect from a Hyuuga.

They kept to deserted alleys and side streets until they reached the small side gate that exited out into the forest. The lone sentry nodded to Gaara and Hanabi as they raced past- the actual gate guard had been the first hostage the Suna army had captured, replaced with Kankuro's puppet to provide an access point for Gaara, and tomorrow, would allow Gaara's army into Konoha.

The forest was dark and welcoming, seemingly empty, even to Gaara's senses. The sand whispered with awareness, however; the Suna army was hidden all throughout this forest, and so far no one in Konoha had even noticed. It was hard to hide an army for long, however; luckily they only had to get through this final night. Tomorrow, there would be no more hiding.

A tiny hidden clearing served as a base camp, and Gaara didn't relax until he reached it. There was no camp fire, no light to give the camp away, but even in the darkness Gaara could pick out the slightly darker shadows of people. One such shadow stepped forward as Gaara entered the clearing.

"All went well?" Temari asked quietly. She looked from Gaara to the hostage, noting that Hanabi was not restrained in any way.

"We have our hostage," Gaara confirmed. "She came of her own free will."

"A pleasure to meet you," Hanabi greeted Temari. "I'll do whatever I can to help while I'm here."

Gaara couldn't see Temari's expression, but he expected she was smiling. "The best way you can help is to stay where we put you and keep quiet," Temari instructed. "If we're lucky, this will be over soon, and you'll be back with your family tomorrow. Go check in with the guards at the other end of the clearing; they'll look after you while you're here."

Hanabi picked her way across the clearing, her byakugan helping her to clear obstacles with ease, and spoke in hushed tones with the guards waiting there. Temari and Gaara watched after her for a moment, and when Temari was satisfied that all was as it should be, she turned her attention to her brother.

"I still can't believe we're doing this," she murmured. "Really Gaara, a war? Is this really necessary? This could completely destroy the peace between our villages. It's not too late to put the girl back and call this whole thing off."

"Did all units receive my instructions?"

"You're really set on this, aren't you?"

"I'm bringing Neji home with me," Gaara said. "They won't give him up willingly, so yes, this is necessary. _Did_ all units receive my instructions?"

"Yes, Lord Kazekage, they all got your instructions. All units are set to storm the village as soon as you say the word." Temari blew out a soft sigh. "You know, when Kankuro and I suggested you get a girlfriend- or boyfriend, as the case may be- this is really not what we were expecting."

Gaara shrugged. "Return to Suna, if you don't want part in this. No one forced you to come."

"No one forced any of us to come," Temari said gently. "We all volunteered. After all, it wouldn't be much of a war if it were an army of one. We couldn't let our Kazekage take on all of Konoha by himself, now could we?"

"Get some rest," Gaara finally said after a moment of silence. "Tomorrow it begins."

_x.x.x_

Gaara decided it was lucky he didn't need to sleep, because the anticipation kept him tense and alert all night. He paced through the little base in the clearing, checked in with all the other hidden camps throughout the forest, and repeatedly returned to check on their hostage. Not that any of it was necessary; the base camp was secure, the army was prepared, and Hanabi slept peacefully through the night.

"_Relax,"_ Shukaku advised. _"Tomorrow we kill people. It'll be fun."_

"_We're not killing anyone tomorrow,"_ Gaara corrected. _"Everyone here has had very strict instructions. All Konoha shinobi are to be taken hostage- no one is to die. With Hanabi and most of the village as our prisoners, the Hyuuga clan will have no choice but to give Neji over."_

"_You're so cute when you're stupid,"_ Shukaku said. _"The shinobi of Konoha will be fighting to kill. Your people will die if they don't do the same."_

"_My people will follow my orders,"_ Gaara said. _"No killing."_

Shukaku huffed. _"Ah well. All for the best, I suppose. If there's not going to be any bloodshed, I won't be so disappointed that I didn't get to participate."_

"_What are you talking about?"_ Gaara asked. _"Tomorrow, I'll be letting you out to play."_

_x.x.x_

Gaara's original plan had been to invade Konoha as soon as the sun came up. While this would have gotten the army in easier, and to their intended goal faster, there would be far fewer targets for the army to take hostage along the way. It would also give the Konoha forces more of a chance to surround and destroy the Suna army once they were inside of the village. So as eager as Gaara was to begin the war, the invasion was postponed until nearly noon.

There was more of a risk to wait; Hanabi's absence would have been noticed by now, along with the message Gaara had left, and it was possible the Hyuuga clan would send out shinobi to track down Gaara and his army. The instructions in Gaara's note were very specific, however; no one of the Hyuuga clan was to leave the Hyuuga complex, if they wanted to see Hanabi again. Gaara would come to make his ransom demands in person. Gaara didn't expect the Hyuuga's to completely obey his instructions, nor would it keep them from putting the rest of Konoha on guard. But they would be expecting Gaara to return to the scene of the crime. They would not be expecting him to bring an army.

Gaara spent that extra time sitting within a protective shell of sand, preparing. It had been a long while since he'd purposefully let out the demon. It was something of a time consuming process to do it right, especially if Gaara intended to maintain some form of control. Which he did. He had every move of this war choreographed, and Shukaku was going to play the role assigned to it, and nothing more.

It did not help that Shukaku was fidgeting like mad with anticipation, its excitement having the odd affect of making Gaara's head itch.

"_If you're not going to settle down and behave, I _can _do this without you,"_ Gaara said.

"_You could, but you won't,"_­­ Shukaku noted with glee. _"C'mon, you can't blame me for being excited. You never let me do anything around here, and all of a sudden I'll be given free reign to maim and flatten and destroy anything I want. It's like Christmas!"_

"_It's hardly free reign,"_ Gaara reminded him. _"This is only going to be a half-transformation. To remind Konoha that I'm not- and never was- tame."_

"_Or entirely sane, for that matter."_ Shukaku sighed. _"Do I at least get to break some stuff? Maybe bruise a few people? If you want them to fear the Kazekage and his big, bad demon, I ought to at least get to cause a little destruction here and there. Stomp on some flowers and spit on puppies."_

"_Well,"_ Gaara allowed with a smile, _"I suppose I can let you get away with a little mayhem."_

He left Shukaku to its gleeful contemplation of all the things it would get to destroy, while he prepared for the transformation. He'd never really intentionally done a half-transformation before, and it was never really meant to be done only part-way. There would be a risk of Shukaku overwhelming him and forcing a complete transformation. But Shukaku had been just as adamant about Neji returning to Suna with them as Gaara was. Gaara expected Shukaku would deny it if asked, but Gaara was pretty sure the demon harbored some fondness for Neji. If Shukaku cooperated (and Gaara had to admit, it was a pretty big _if_), this might just be possible.

Outside the little shell of sand, Gaara could hear the preparations of his army. They _were_ doing their best to be quiet of course; they were shinobi after all, and this was a war. But as skilled as they were, try as they might, it was simply impossible for so many people to move in complete silence through a forest.

It still surprised Gaara as to how many of Suna's shinobi came for this. They had _all_ come; that is, all that could be spared from other missions, and the protection of the village. Anyone that possibly could, came. They came because their Kazekage asked it of them, and for Neji. Already they spoke of Neji as if he were one of them, a shinobi of Suna. They all viewed this as a rescue mission, to recover a comrade trapped in enemy territory. Not even Gaara's warning that there was to be no bloodshed dampened their spirits. Gaara had counted on their loyalty to him when he asked them to come, but he had not expected their enthusiasm.

"_I think most of them just want to see the boy that has their ruthless and bloodthirsty Kazekage so utterly lovesick,"_ Shukaku commented. _"Still, Neji's going to get quite the welcome into Suna. If he still wants to come, that is."_

"_What are you talking about?"_ Gaara asked. He really shouldn't be letting the demon distract him while he was preparing a transformation, but Shukaku's words piqued him. _"Why wouldn't Neji want to come anymore? He said he wanted to be with me."_

"_He did say that, but remember he wasn't really expecting to get the choice. He expected to marry Hanabi, and father litters of little white-eyed geniuses. Not be kidnapped by an invading Suna army and taken as the spoils of war. He might not look upon this whole damn mess so favorably."_

"_He said he loved me,"_ Gaara said. _"He said he would come with me, if he was given the choice."_

"_Oh Gaara,"_ the demon said, as if it were addressing a small and particularly dense child. _"Haven't you realized by now? People lie."_

"_What possible reason would Neji have for lying to me?"_

"_So he could have sex with you."_

Gaara frowned. _"Are you saying this because you hate me and want me to be miserable, or because you really think Neji would lie about loving me just so he could get sex?"_

"_Little of both, really."_

"_Ah. In that case, shut up and let me concentrate. Or I'm doing this war without you,"_ Gaara said. _"Neji loves me. He said so, and I believe him. Also, I think you're a cynical asshole."_

"Gaara?" Temari's voice came soft and hesitant from the other side of the sand shell. "Everyone's in place, awaiting your signal. Are you okay in there?"

"Fine. How is our hostage doing?"

"Fine." Gaara could tell by her voice that Temari was smiling. "Last I checked, Hanabi was playing poker with her guards. The guards were in imminent danger of losing their shirts. Quite literally."

"…they _do_ know that Hanabi possesses the Hyuuga byakugan, don't they? She can see right through their cards."

"Hmmm… I may have neglected to mention that, actually." Temari seemed to take great amusement from that, as well.

Gaara frowned but let it go; there were too many important things to think about now to waste time on wondering if the Hyuuga heir was cheating at cards. "Give me ten minutes. Then we'll begin." He heard Temari move off, and took a deep breath. He was as ready as he'd ever be.

"_Alright, Shukaku,"_ Gaara addressed the demon. _"Make this look good."_

"_You got it,"_ Shukaku agreed eagerly. _"One half-mad rampaging demon, coming right up."_

The sands too responded eagerly to the transformation jutsu. It had been a long while since he had done this, but he remembered the feeling well. The sand was smooth on his skin as it moved around him. People thought the transformation only covered his body, as it did with his shields. But to become the monster, the sand actually fused with him, becoming a part of his flesh, muscle and bone. It was a weird sensation, almost itchy at first, as his body was taken over by millions of tiny sand granules and made a part of it.

His left arm went first; he found it easier to start small, with a limb first, and adding the extra reach, bulk and strength to his arms before anything had served him well in the past. The tail came next; Gaara had to admit a tail came in useful now and again, and Shukaku was particular proud of his. The sand crept up his neck, over his face, forming a half-mask of Shukaku's snarling countenance. It was the transformation of the eye that was the most unpleasant, especially when Gaara was only half transformed. One eye would show the world as it was, while the eye transformed cast the world in blinding colors and sharp shadows. It was very disorienting.

The hard part was halting the transformation, willingly, half way. It left him a little off balance, one half of his body heavily weighted down with sand. After several minutes of intense concentration, the transformation held and stabilized. Gaara flexed his transformed arm experimentally, wiggling the long clawed fingers, satisfied that everything was working properly.

In a small flurry, the protective shell of sand fell away, and Gaara stepped out into the emerald-colored brightness of the forest. The commanders of his army all crouched at the ready before him, watching him with infinite patience.

"Go," Gaara growled, and they all leapt to obey his command.

The forest came alive with the sounds of movement, like a strong wind through the leaves, as the army mobilized. Gaara glimpsed them on his peripheral vision, streaks of color and movement that were shinobi running and leaping through the trees branches. Few of them passed Gaara as he stalked forward, however; he was leading this army, and he would be the first the enter Konoha and begin this invasion.

There were sentries and guards of Konoha scattered throughout the forest, around the perimeter of the village, but Gaara ignored them all. Any that stayed to face Suna's army were taken hostage, any that retreated to the village were let go. It didn't matter if Konoha had warning of the invading army. They would have no time to mobilize full-scale defenses.

Kankuro's puppet posing as the gate guard bowed politely when Gaara reached it, stepping aside politely to allow entry. Gaara paused on the threshold, listening as his army came up behind him, pausing as well for his command. If he'd changed his mind, now would be his last chance to turn back. He could end this now, return the hostage and retain the peace between the two villages.

But Neji was waiting for him, so it really wasn't much of a choice at all.

Gaara nodded once, entering Konoha at a run. Behind him, his army rushed through the gate, and began their sweep through the village. The sudden noise was deafening, as over a hundred shinobi yelled an enthusiastic battle cry. An answering cry rose up through the village; Konoha had a force of its own shinobi waiting for them. Gaara recognized a few of the jounin from his prior visits to the village, though saw none that would pose that much threat to his army. He suspected many of the better fighters were holding positions farther ahead in the village, in case the Suna army got past the outer defenses.

As expected, Konoha was not exactly unprepared for an attack, but they certainly hadn't been expecting this. Gaara had brought with him the best warriors his village had to offer, and faced with such an army, Konoha's first lines of defense crumbled. Gaara spared brief glances for the fighting as it broke out, satisfied that though the Suna shinobi were fighting to the best of their ability, none of them struck a killing blow. This oddly compassionate fighting was greatly confusing the Konoha forces. One by one, then more in groups, the shinobi of Konoha were taken hostage. Hostages had their hands bound and their weapons removed, then were passed back down the line of Suna shinobi, to the makeshift prisons they'd constructed within the forest.

Gaara ran on ahead, though the army was quick to catch up with him. The Konoha shinobi, though they stared at his misshapen, sand-constructed form, did not attempt to engage Gaara in battle. Several even stepped aside, probably instinctively, to let him run past. Shukaku was laughing at all of them, delighting in the fear in their eyes.

"Gaara!"

A thrown kunai embedded itself in the ground almost right at Gaara's feet. An intentional miss, Gaara guessed, more to get his attention than to do him injury, else the sands would have blocked it. Gaara halted his run, looking up at the weapon's source. Naruto leapt down from the rooftop, followed by Shikamaru. Naruto looked angry, and a little baffled.

"What are you doing?" Naruto demanded the instant his feet touched the ground. "What's with the whole Randomly Invade Konoha For No Good Reason bit?"

"Get out of the way, Naruto," Gaara commanded roughly. "This doesn't concern you." Naruto was a… _friend_, of sorts- at least, Gaara found him tolerable. The least he could do was spare Naruto the indignity of defeat and capture.

Naruto, however, seemed to have no intention of backing down. Gaara should have expected that. "You've brought an invading army into our village!" Naruto shouted. "Explain to me how that doesn't concern me!"

"We'll be out of here soon," Gaara said. "As soon as the Hyuuga clan gives me what I want."

Shikamaru blinked. "Is this about Neji?"

"They wouldn't let me have him," Gaara growled. "Neji said he loved me, but they wouldn't let him come with me. So I'm coming to take him. Every shinobi that gets in my way will be taken hostage, so they will _have_ to give him to me."

"So…" Naruto frowned, clearly trying to comprehend all of this. "All this… you started a _war_… for Neji?"

"Yes," Gaara said. "So he can come with me. If he still wants to."

Naruto and Shikamaru glanced at each other, then they both held their hands up. "Okay," they said. "We surrender."

"Now this is my kind of war," Shikamaru remarked to Naruto as the two walked past Gaara and through the Suna army, which cleared a little path for them. "After they take us hostage, I think I'll take a nap."

"You'd do that even if this were a real war," Naruto said. "You go on ahead, I'll catch up." He waved to a few of his friends, who paused in their fighting to stare at him in bewilderment. "Oi, Sakura! C'mon, we're all gonna go hang out in the Suna prison camp! Bring everybody, we'll have a party!"

"Naruto?" Sakura shouldered her way past the shinobi. "What on earth is going on?"

"See, the Hyuuga clan won't let Gaara date Neji, so Gaara brought some friends and is going to… persuade them to change their minds. Shikamaru and I were gonna show them some support by letting them take us prisoner. You wanna come?"

Sakura brightened. "So _that's_ what this war's for? Aww, that's so romantic… in a kind of creepy way. Yeah, hold on, I'll go get Ino. I think I saw her around here."

"Tell anybody else you see, too!" Naruto called. "See you there!"

And from there, word spread. As Gaara ran through the village, he saw that the fighting had tapered off, and the Suna army was moving forward unimpeded. Dozens of the Konoha shinobi went past in the other direction, leaving the city to join their friends as Suna's captives. Gaara recognized a few of them as they went past; Lee talking excitedly to Hinata and TenTen, waving as they passed Gaara, and Naruto's teacher, Kakashi, moving through the crowds easily, without glancing up from the book he was reading. The very best shinobi Konoha had to offer had elected not to get involved in the war, and were leaving the city in hands of the Suna army. Even those that chose not to join the hostages, seemed happy to stay at home.

"_The whole city could be ours!"_ Shukaku said as they made their way toward the Hyuuga compound. _"You can't honestly tell me we're not gonna take advantage of that."_

"_That's not what we're here for." _Gaara said. _"We're here for-"_

The Hyuuga clan compound came into view, and it looked as though the entire clan were waiting for them. There were dozens of them, all watching the approaching army with solemn, pale eyes. Hiashi and the clan elders stood front and center, and while the elders all held the same expression of arrogance and anger, Hiashi was almost perfectly expressionless. Gaara thought he caught the tiniest hint of a smile, though.

The army slowed its approach as Gaara did. Though none of the Hyuugas held weapons, the Suna shinobi did not put theirs away. None of the Konoha clan moved as Gaara and his army came forward. The sand that formed Gaara's transformed arm rippled slowly, its gentle rush almost audible in the now tense silence.

"You've taken Hanabi, my daughter and heir to this clan," Hiashi spoke first. "You've taken most of this village as your hostages as well. You've brought an army to our doorstep. What is it you want, Lord Kazekage?"

"You know what I want." Gaara's voice was a growl, but heard by all. "The only one I want. If you give him to me, unharmed, and swear on the honor of this clan not to cause him any harm, even with the curse seal he is bound with, then I will return your heir and all the other hostages. My army and I will return to Suna, and there can be a continuing peace between our villages."

"It is regrettable that it came to this in the first place," Hiashi said. "But the Hyuuga clan will accept your terms. Neji Hyuuga will be exchanged for Hanabi Hyuuga, and all the other captives you have taken."

The crowd of Hyuugas parted, allowing Neji to step forward. Neji was dressed in simple traveling clothes, and he had a travel bag slung over one shoulder. He stood beside his uncle, silently regarding the invading army that had come to take him away.

He didn't look happy to see Gaara, though he didn't look _unhappy_ for that matter. He said nothing, and Gaara was starting to get very unsettling feelings about this. Maybe a war _had_ been the wrong way to go about this, even if no one had gotten hurt. Maybe Shukaku had been right after all, and Neji didn't want to come with Gaara.

"_Oh come on,"_ Shukaku said. _"You never believe anything I say. Why start now?"_

Gaara reached out to Neji, silently inviting him, urging him forward. Neji continued to regard him with the same unreadable, captivating gaze that had so intrigued Gaara from the beginning. Then Neji smiled, settling his travel bag down and stepped forward into Gaara's embrace. For several long moments, Neji just let Gaara hold him, before he returned the embrace. The sand shifted, fluttering gentle touches against Neji's skin, before the transformation jutsu was ended, and the sand swirled back into the gourd.

"I knew you'd come back," Neji murmured, soft enough that only Gaara could hear. "I just didn't expect… all this. Really, Gaara, a war?"

"Are you angry?"

"I think I'm flattered."

Neji pulled back from Gaara, untying his Konoha headband and letting it drop to the ground. Gaara handed Neji a Suna headband, and Neji turned to face his family, giving them all a glimpse of the red kanji overlaid on the curse seal, before tying his new headband on. Most of the Hyuuga clan wore carefully guarded expressions, though a few of Neji's relatives had a hard time hiding their anger.

And their humiliation, Gaara guessed. The pride of the Hyuuga clan would be badly bruised after this. Not only had Gaara and his army managed to kidnap the Hyuuga heir and invade the village, but most of Konoha had taken Gaara's side, supporting the Suna invaders rather than one of Konoha's clan families. While Gaara was reasonably sure that the Hyuuga clan would not retaliate physically against Suna or against Neji, it was likely that Neji would be disowned, and shunned by his former clan. Neji would bear the exile with quiet dignity, but Gaara didn't ever want Neji to start resenting him for causing it. A little damage control was needed here.

"_Damage control in the form of some heavy flattery," _Shukaku said. _"That always works."_

"_How would you know?"_ Gaara asked. _"You couldn't compliment someone if your life depended on it. You're far more prone to insult."_

"_Well, I wouldn't waste flattery on _you_," _the demon said. _"Though I could probably spare some for Neji, if the situation warranted it."_

"If it pleases the honorable Hyuuga Clan of Konoha," Gaara calmly addressed Neji's family, "I would like to again propose an alliance. The Hyuuga Clan is well known for its many skills and talents, and in my observations I have been impressed with those abilities. I would like to suggest that a third branch of the Hyuuga Clan be formed in Suna, with Neji as its head. If that is agreeable to your clan elders, I would also like to take the name of Hyuuga, myself."

Gaara could sense Neji watching him with something like astonishment at this statement, but Gaara carefully kept his gaze fixed on the Hyuuga clan. Hiashi was smiling, as if he had been expecting this all along. Much of the rest of the class looked a little startled as well, and many of them talked in hushed murmurs amongst themselves, nodding agreement.

Hiashi looked to the other elders, none of which voiced any objections. Taking that as agreement, Hiashi nodded decisively and spoke. "Your proposal is agreeable. It is my pleasure to welcome you into our clan, Gaara Hyuuga."

_x.x.x._

The "hostages" were soon returned to the village, as Gaara had promised. Hanabi returned home, looking quite pleased with herself, and toting a pack stuffed with her winnings from her poker game with the Suna guards. Most of the returned shinobi crowded around Gaara and Neji, asking questions, offering congratulations, and demanding to know when the wedding was and if they were invited.

"Man, you and Gaara," Naruto said, clapping Neji on the back and earning a reproachful frown from the Hyuuga. "Couple months ago, I never would have believed it. I always kind of figured you two to be the sort that would die alone, you know?"

"How very encouraging," Neji said.

Naruto laughed. "I didn't mean it the way it sounds."

"I can't believe you're really moving to Suna," TenTen told Neji. "I mean, I _can_ believe it, but… I'm really going to miss you. The team won't be the same without you." She smiled warmly at Gaara. "I really am happy for you and Neji. I'm glad you didn't take my advice after all. And if you ever hurt him, I promise I'll hunt you down and maim you."

"_Ha! I'd like to see you try, girlie!"_ Shukaku said.

Gaara ignored the demon, and just nodded his acceptance of TenTen's well-meant warning. Neji and Gaara moved through the crowds slowly, Neji saying goodbyes to the people he knew, while Gaara mostly stood silent and watched. Plenty of people talked to Gaara and congratulated him, and while he tried to gracefully accept their sentiments, he was starting to get tired of the onslaught. The war was over and Neji was his, and now all Gaara wanted was to find somewhere private where they could be alone.

Twenty minutes into a teary-eyed farewell with Gai and Lee (Gai and Lee were teary-eyed; Neji was stoically enduring the impassioned speeches with the poise of one well-practiced in that sort of thing), Gaara declared it was time to go.

They stopped briefly once more at the Hyuuga complex, where Temari and Kankuro were working out the details of this little alliance Gaara had proposed. Gaara artfully ignored their thinly veiled suggestions that he stay and help finish up the treaty. He told his siblings that when they were done there, they could take the army and go on ahead; he and Neji would catch up.

Gaara and Neji deftly avoided the crowds, running through alleys and back streets on the way out of the village. The training grounds were all deserted, with most of the shinobi in the village having their impromptu celebrations. Still, neither of them relaxed completely until they were enveloped by the chilled shadows of the Forest of Death.

The sand spilled from the gourd with a happy sigh, collecting around them in a protective nest as they settled down at the base of a large tree. Neji ran his palm over the sand like he was petting a cat, and the sands shivered and purred under his touch.

"So… Gaara Hyuuga," Neji said musingly, testing out Gaara's new name. "I like the sound of that."

"I didn't mean to be presumptuous, suggesting that," Gaara said softly. Part of him, the part of himself that was so used to disappointment by now, still expected this to go wrong. Expected Neji to be angry, about the war, about being demanded as ransom for the return of Hanabi and the hostages, about being all but contracted into an arranged marriage with Gaara. Gaara knew he wouldn't be able to bear it if Neji hated him now.

"You're worrying too much," Neji proclaimed. "Really, it's a little late for second thoughts now."

"Too late for me, or for you?"

"I don't need to have second thoughts," Neji said. "A month ago you asked if I would come back with you to Suna, given the choice. I said that I would, and I meant it. Being with you is my choice, not something I was forced into, by you or anyone else." Neji leaned back against the sand's cushioning. "You don't have to believe it now. Since I am coming to Suna, I will have plenty of time to convince you. I can be patient."

Gaara considered that as he curled up against Neji, idly tugging out the tie that bound Neji's hair, running his fingers through the soft strands. Neji smiled at that, letting his fingertips trail up Gaara's arm, with a light tingle of chakra exciting the nerves. Gaara remembered the last time he and Neji were in this forest, and the other very interesting ways Neji knew how to use his chakra. There would be time enough for worries and insecurities later. For now, the war was won, and Gaara had his prize. He planned to enjoy it.

"I believe you," Gaara said, brushing a soft kiss over Neji's lips. "I love you. I'm just… not used to trusting people. This is new to me."

"We'll work on it," Neji promised, smiling.

"Later," Gaara said. "For now, I want… I want you to make me feel alive. Like last time. Will you?"

"I'll make you feel alive," Neji said, "if you'll do the same for me."

Shukaku settled back in its confinement, trying very hard not to call attention to itself. The last thing it wanted was to distract either boy from their delicious reunion. It was going to be a very long trip back to Suna, it reflected. But, depending on how much time alone the two got, an interesting one. It was a good day to be a demon.

Even if he _hadn't_ gotten to kill anyone.

_.x.x.x._

_The End._


End file.
